deed, at first sight, obvious indications that our want of freedom is not greater than our want of internal strength to govern ourselves? Is not the suspension of the powers of Convocation acquiesced in, as perhaps a lesser evil than their revival would

Have not the appointments of the State been, in general, no worse than those where an elective power has been exerted within the Church? Is not the usual appeal made to the public judgment, because there is not sufficient internal energy evinced to defy the world? These are not mentioned to justify or explain the case, but as some slight indications that are on the surface,slight indications of Him whose footsteps are in the deep waters, -implying a controlling care which suits our external to our internal condition. If the power of the world has come in, not merely in open acts of aggression and interference, but, still more, by a subtle and secretly pervading influence, to actuate our conduct, may not our position be considered, in some sense, like that of the Jews, when they rejected the more immediate government of God, and requiring a King, received one in anger; by which their unruly and faithless dispositions were set under a more palpable and visible rein, in judgment, indeed, but also by a merciful provision to correct their disorders. If the first disciples, placed, as they were, in the most favoured condition as of sons, received that Spirit of adoption, and walked in that freedom, under the oppression of the world, which was at enmity with them, armed at all points with spiritual armour to encounter that enmity; may not the lowest position of a Christian be that in which there is an apparent friendship and league, when his arms are laid aside, and he receives the green withy bands as tokens of captivity; though perhaps laid asleep he perceives it not, and, from the arts of her that binds them, forgets that it is captivity at all? And indeed may there not be something in the case of an Establishment, that necessarily implies feebleness in the Church? To have "Kings for her nursing-fathers," it has been observed, appears to denote feebleness, such as to require them; but of course it is for her sons, not for herself, that they are required. The various fallings into, and partial recoveries from this Edward's First Book is fol

state of servitude, are remarkable. -86.

VOL. V.

G

lowed by tampering with foreign Protestants, with sacrilege and confiscation; the consequence is the Second Book, by which the highest Christian privileges are in a manner curtailed and impaired. This is followed by the purgatorial and judicial sufferings of Mary's reign, and another Book ensues in some slight degree restorative. Then succeed the sufferings of the Church with Charles the Martyr; and these are followed by the Review of the Services in 1662, still more decidedly re-instating: witness the Oblation introduced, the thanksgiving prayer, and many points of higher Church principle. After the changes of 1688, a heavier blow appears to be impending; but, as far as the Services go, it is averted, and the Church is left to reap, in other ways, the results of a false principle. The intended alterations of the Prayer Book after the expulsion of the Non-jurors, most happily and providentially for us, did not take place: the Convocation ceases, the apparent liberty of the Church is taken away; a course of external prosperity ensues, with a famine of the word, a slavish spirit: witness the timidity of the Church, the desertion of her colonies', the acquiescence in heretical Bishops.

And these instances will serve to confirm, and illustrate, the conclusion to which the former argument would lead us; which is this, if it be the case, that, in temporal governments, for a people to seek for higher degrees of freedom, while they are unfit for them, is to contend against the wind, or to turn the course of the seasons; so also, in the Church, the only way to obtain higher privileges, higher degrees of grace, is to show ourselves worthy of them. If we show ourselves meet to receive them, then we shall have them restored to us; if we do not show ourselves meet to receive them, we shall not, but instead shall have our Candlestick removed.

CONSIDERED WITH REGARD TO THE SECOND POINT, of obedience.

9. Lessons of obedience the corrective to the tendencies of the age. And now we are naturally led by these remarks to the second

1 See Dr. Pusey's Sermons for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, p. 56.

Lessons of obedience the corrective to the tendencies of the

age. 83

point, which was discussed in considering the alterations in the Prayer Book, of a peculiar stress being laid upon lessons of obedience. If a peculiar adaptation to these internal changes also has existed in external circumstances, it must be as a corrective; for, of course, it is as a corrective to natural and prevailing tendencies, that the Divine Teacher lays an emphatic stress on particular instructions: such is the case in the commands delivered to the Churches in the Revelation.

In the time immediately previous to the period of our own Prayer Book, through the dark ages, it is evident that the Church had acted as such, and as counteracting the darkness of the age. Inasmuch as all the learning and ability of the times flowed into the Church, and filled all her offices, and thence emanated to the world: for, if that period was one of darkness and ignorance, she was the luminous body by which the darkness was irradiated. It is in the same manner of correction that she has operated since.

It was shown that obedience in various shapes has been very peculiarly the Divine teaching and Divine admonition, interwoven with, and infused into, our Services, speaking like the Urim and Thummim of the twelve tribes, the "light and truth on the breast" of the collective Church, or like the sacred voice in the temple, speaking to us in that way in which we are bound to be listening for the still small voice. And now it might be inferred from many points spoken of, either by implication or direct instances, in pursuing this subject of inquiry throughout the Liturgy, (in Part ii.) that this lesson of obedience has been that corrective which the spirit of the age required. But it may be again distinctly mentioned, first of all, in this, that the Religion of the age, as it has been developed both in the Church and in various forms of dissent, has in some shape or other substituted a kind of luxury of feeling, and a new doctrine respecting the Atonement for the ancient and scriptural doctrine of the Cross1; and has shown a marked repugnance to all those principles of mortification of life and self-denying obedience, which have been considered as connected with it, and which have formed the emphatic teaching

1 This allusion is explained in Tract No. 80, p. iii. 5.

of our own Church. So much has this prevailed, that it has induced persons to believe that holy men of old, who spent their ives in frequent watchings and fastings and prayer, had entirely mistaken the whole nature of religion; had not only proceeded on a circuitous path, but had entirely missed the true one; and had quite mistaken the only mode of access to CHRIST. That to labour to become conformable unto His death, was in fact to forget the efficacy of it: and would serve as an evidence of having done so without some express declaration to the contrary. All this teaching is only mentioned as a fact, and as a proof of the tendencies and spirit, from whatever cause arising, of this age and nation. It may be that these distorted statements of Christian doctrine are but the shadows occasioned by the partial breaking in of the truth upon a corrupt age. Here therefore the Church has been, throughout the dangerous influences of the times, to those who would be guided by her, "a lantern unto the feet, "and a light unto our paths."

Another proof might be taken from the political principles which have characterised this country as associated with the name of liberty. It would be difficult to express them under the mildest terms, but as those of independence, of maintenance of national rights and privileges, as principles of resistance against arbitrary powers; whatever definite name and shape they assume, they immediately stand out before one as the very opposite to the peculiar tenets of the Gospel,-these are throughout, whether as shown in matters of detail or in their general spirit, directly the reverse to those principles described; from the precepts and example of Him "who learned obedience by the things "that He suffered." And although the maintainers of the political opinions alluded to would, in some measure, allow the necessity of loyal obedience, yet they would mention and dwell on cases of aggression, which would serve as exceptions. It is on this account that their opposition to the scriptural doctrine of the Cross is most apparent, inasmuch as Scripture, in expressing the duties of this kind in numberless cases of precept, example, and the like, never speaks of exceptions, often carefully excludes them; whereas, knowing what is in man, and "looking before

"and after" for him, better than he could for himself, it necessarily would have mentioned such cases, if any exceptions had been necessary. It appears, therefore, as a very singular providential correction to all this, that there has come forth, as it were, a hand upon the wall, without a human body to which it can be referred as its Author, and has written in distinct characters, The lesson of obedience.

And in the next place, the external prosperity which has been alluded to, is a reason why, according to the usual tenor of the Divine dealings, a message of warning, of humiliation, and of obedience, should be addressed. That the pride of ease and abundance, the pride of intellect and false liberty, should be spoken to in a tone of this kind is quite in harmony with Scripture; so as to afford, from the analogy, an intimation that it is the same voice which speaks to us in both. To the poor the good tidings are preached but the commandments, and woe, and self-denial, to the rich. "Let the poor rejoice in that he is exalted, but the "rich in that he is made low."

10. Our situation a trial of obedience.

It might moreover be pointed out, that to those who would follow this Divine guidance, and the teaching of the Church, there has been something in her condition which has had peculiarly the tendency of fostering this spirit, and affording opportunities for the exercise of it, from the very peculiarity of her position. For the circumstance of our being mixed up with the world in spiritual matters is an especial trial of our obedience to GOD, of our obedience to His Church as such. It is especially a discipline to, and trial of, our obedience. If our chief and subordinate ministers are in some measure thrust into, or thrust themselves into, their position over us, by a certain temporal influence, and afterwards maintain their authority by things which are of this world, such as wealth, or learning, or eloquence : And if there is a want of effectual power in the Church to remove obnoxious ministers: such a state implies a very peculiar exercise of our faithfulness to the Church of GOD, when her own