yond the tone of GOD'S WORD, cannot enter into the calm and deep reality of the sacred services.

But it may be asked, if the principle of the Church is so much of this retiring character, how is she as well calculated to propagate the Gospel publicly, and extensively, in the world, as the more popular system, and to bring into CHRIST'S fold His sheep that are scattered abroad? To this it should be a sufficient answer, that these are the ways of God; this is the point we maintain; to which it may be added, that at that early period when this system was most of all observed in the Church, the Gospel spread itself throughout the earth in a manner quite beyond any subsequent example: for as they then carefully inculcated that saving truths could not be known, but by obedience and faith, they preserved that unity to which the blessing is attached. But it may be explained in this manner, how it is that the Church, under this veil of reserve, must necessarily be more powerful than any human modes or principles of extending the faith. For all the means we have spoken of, as belonging to the Church, are ways of obtaining holiness of life and God's favour and the obedience of Christians is the light of the world; example the most powerful of persuasions. But besides these, preaching, catechising, and all such means directed to mankind, obtain their greatest efficacy from holiness of life. And the point we have endeavoured to show in popular systems, is their want of real efficacy; that expediency in things Divine is the worst policy for surely the ways of GoD are more powerful than those of man, though it is impossible they should appear so to mankind, as they are spiritually and morally discerned. A faithful Church is necessarily a converting Church, for it is of itself, 66 a city set on a hill that cannot be hid," the true Bethlehem, from which CHRIST goeth forth publicly, though there hid in secret the true Bethlehem, the house of bread, which is the Church, the city of GOD. Though it be silent, if that were possible, yet in holy reserve it preaches aloud; "though there be neither speech nor language, yet their voices are heard among them."

When our LORD in the Sermon on the Mount, after laying down the laws of evangelical righteousness, proceeded to give

directions respecting the three modes by which power should be obtained to fulfil His laws, viz. by Prayer and Almsgiving and Fasting, He confined those regulations especially by the law of secrecy, commanding that they were to be done in secret, with reference alone to our FATHER, who seeth in secret, and will reward openly. It seems not unnatural to think that in these He spoke (according to the vastness of Divine words) of what must be the essential character of His Church, as therein all duties are by faith to be directed to Him who dwelleth in secret: and there is something of a reward which is openly promised in this world (in prelude to the manifestation hereafter), in that, from the strength thus derived in secret, the example shines before men, who are able to see the good works, and by their own conversion by these means, glorify God.

And thus, if there are persons living in the fear of God, and entirely given up to the things that are unseen, and making great sacrifices to do so, (which has been the purpose with whole bodies of Christians in religious houses) not only by the prevailing power of their prayers, and such means as are known to God only, but as a witness, their efficacy is most powerful in supporting a sense of piety in the world. Such a religion, which has its anchor in the invisible world, is not moved by the storms of this: a city which has its foundation on the eternal hills, and standeth fast like the great mountains. In contrast to which, this modern system, partaking of the character of our own age of expediency, and mostly founded on feeling, is moved by every wind; it partakes of the weakness of human things, and cannot stand when the floods arise. For surely it must be allowed that it consists, not in Sacraments, not in gifts of GoD bestowed on His chosen, not in Divinely appointed Ordinances, not in Liturgical Services, not in prayer, not in obedience, not in the strong holds of the eternal world, and the secret strength of GOD: but in words and phrases, in professions and emotions, in popular appeals, and party zeal: in confounding all distinctions between the Church of GOD and all the sects that prevail among misguided men. Very tenderly as we must wish to speak of individuals that adopt it, (some of whom are in fact but attempting

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to realize the substance of great Christian truths which have been forgotten) yet surely we must see that this religious system has about it something which falls in with, and encourages, nay, assumes its own character and complexion from, that spirit of disobedience and lawlessness, which is to prevail in the last days.

5. The best preservative of sound principles.

But it may be asked, do not those who bring forward the doctrines of the Church among ourselves, act in a manner at variance with this principle? It is sincerely hoped that they have not done so. They have indeed put forth the highest and most sacred doctrines, respecting the regenerating power of Baptism, and the sacrifice of the blessed Eucharist, matters beyond all others of sacred reserve, and "the discipline of the secret." But they have done so by constraint, as bearing witness, which they were bound to do most distinctly and fully, to principles and doctrines of the Church, vitally important, but very much forgotten, and even denied by many, not only of Christians in general, but also of her ministers. And this they have done, not so much in popular discourses as in argumentative treatises, directed for the most part to the clergy: and not, it is hoped, without some sense and due reverence for their importance; certainly not in a manner to move the feelings and render them popular, by separating them from other distasteful truths, but with those accompanying doctrines, which have a tendency to make both those that hear and those that speak, serious. Those especially (or we might speak in the singular number) who have brought forward these two great doctrines just mentioned, might have met with a more favourable reception from the world, had they not associated with them other subjects equally forgotten, and naturally unpopular and unwelcome, such as the danger of sin after Baptism, the necessity of mortification, the doctrine of Judgment to come. Surely if any thing would dispose men to speak of those high doctrines of the Sacraments with reverential reserve, and to hear of them with seriousness, it is their connec

tion with these subjects: not that they have been thus connected with any designed intention of this kind, but that they have naturally gone together, from the spontaneous acting of those who felt the importance of what they said, and have therefore, as it were accidentally, fallen in with the Scriptural mode of teaching. Had all religious matters been treated with this spirit, there would have been no need for the subject of this Tract. That these Church principles should be received by others with this spirit, is perhaps, in this age, scarcely to be expected and yet, from the absence of it, are to be apprehended all those evils which we have deprecated under a different form.

The one and sole end of all that has been taught respecting the Church, is simply to point out the means of obtaining and continuing in GoD's favour, during our stay in this world, and being accepted of Him for the sake of JESUS CHRIST at last, and escaping the sad doom that awaits the impenitent world. If considered in any other point of view they are thoroughly unprofitable and vain, of no more worth than the idle speculations of the day, the schemes of business, and plans of politics, merely specious theories respecting things most holy, which may touch the fancy with their transcendent beauty, and amuse the imagination, but leave the heart worldly, and pride unsubdued; nay, with regard to a better world, they are in such a case not merely unprofitable, but they may become snares to delude the conscience, and leave us at last, like all earthly things, with a shadow in our hands, having for ever lost the substance.

For in proportion as they are themselves holy and true and life-giving, they must necessarily be dangerous in their abuse. But now, if this one end and aim is the most rare thing in the world to obtain, the very last thing to be expected of creatures corrupt and inclined to evil as we are, then, of course, it is to be feared, that these principles may be perverted to other than these the highest of all purposes. At all events, if they should spread and become popular in the world, then of course one would fear, that they are not taught, or at all events not received, in their purity one would apprehend that there was something wrong;

or possibly, if such holy principles are received without a change of life, it may be but the raising of that temple of GoD, in which Antichrist will sit, and exalt himself at last.

For as every thing is difficult in proportion to its excellence and value, very difficult therefore must it be to enter into the fulness of these blessings, which these doctrines of the Church contain. For instance, if we take the subject of prayer, the spirit and temper and practice of prayer being more essentially that of the Church Catholic; how difficult is it to pray aright; so much so, that it were not too much to say, that it requires the very utmost stretch of our endeavours, the perfection of our highest faculties, the labour of a long life, to learn to pray. The very best of men are but learners in this art, and become most sensible of their deficiencies. How much more so must it be to realize also the Divine Sacraments, and attain unto the greatness of their efficacy. Such indeed were to understand the meaning of Divine words, which speak of the Church as a "kingdom of Heaven;" it were to be indeed a heaven upon earth. And in the progressive attainment of that knowledge, "blessed is he that feareth always."

The less therefore that these most holy doctrines are received into the heart, the more loudly will they be spoken of: Divine fear, like Divine love, has ever about it this natural modesty : it has little to say, its chief language is that of prayer, and that in secret as all its ways are directed to One who seeth in secret, it is ever fearful of man's praise, and fearless of his reproach.

Those who most value sacred things will in general say least about them: admiration indeed and joy will find a voice, and a spontaneous expression, as the shepherds published abroad what they had heard of the Angels, and seen: but yet in such eloquence there will always be a natural reserve. And even these feelings, when increased greatly and fixed very deeply, will be silent the shepherds spake, but Mary was silent, she "kept these things and pondered them in her heart."

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Disputation, says Hooker, speaking of the Eucharist, is a sign