are flesh and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they shall all fail together. For thus saith the Lord: Like as the lion, and the young lion, roaring on his prey, when a multitude of SHEPHERDS is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them; so shall the Lord of Hosts come down to fight for Mount Zion and for the hill thereof." Therefore I say, "Turn ye unto Him." "Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, but not the sword of a mighty MAN." "He shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited; and he shall pass over to his stronghold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem." Therefore, again I say, Raise "the ensign" of the Word of God; keep within the "Zion" and the "Jerusalem" of God's own Scripture; seek not any strength, though it be great, nor any help, though it be ". very strong," which depends upon the word, or the authority, or the excellency of man; rest solely and wholly on the infallible and invincible Word of God, and then ye must conquer: for what saith "the Spirit?" "Go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever.". "Thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning and rest shall ye be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength."

Again, fellow-soldiers! let whatever we say be said clearly, boldly, distinctly. Christian phraseology, in the statement of important matters, should imitate the Word of God, and be frank, lucid, transparent, not to be mistaken, admitting not of doubt or misrepresentation, indisputable. If we advance with these principles, then must our course be one of victory; we shall go on "conquering and to conquer;" the adversary must yield; for God hath said it; for "the Lord himself shall arise, and will not let man prevail," and will not suffer" Israel to vaunt themselves against him, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me." And again: "My word, which goeth forth out of My mouth, shall not return unto Me void; but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Therefore, trusting to this, by the assistance of the "glorious voice of the Lord," and in the strength of the "lighting down of His hand," we shall at last be able to say, "We have fought a good fight, we have kept the Faith," we have "turned to flight the armies of the aliens." Yet, not to man belongeth the glory, but to the Word of God alone; for through the voice of the Lord is the enemy beaten down."

It is, Sir, under impressions of this nature that I now venture to offer for your inspection the accompanying essay on Justification. My object has been, not to refute the views or opinions of any particular party, but to display the doctrines of Scripture. I have used but one book-the Bible; I have called in no assistance but that of the Holy Spirit: and I trust that the result of my undertaking will neither be unprofitable nor unacceptable, but will be received by your readers as a humble but sincere and earnest endeavour to set forth, in clear, distinct, straightforward, unaffected language, the doctrine of Justification, as it has been delivered to us by God in His Written Word.

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

Φ. Δ.

FIRST PRINCIPLES.

To the Editor of the Christian's Monthly Magazine and Universal Review.
SIR,

I have read with much pleasure your Editorial Retrospect in No. 3 on "First Principles;" but I am sure your candour will allow that the "misstatements" you complain of are of a nature which entitle them to every tender consideration. They are not wilful

perversions of Scripture, but mere logical misapprehensions; and should, therefore, be noticed in the spirit of brotherly charity, and not in that which usually animates polemical discussion. I regret, notwithstanding, to find that so great a disregard for First Principles exists among modern clerical writers; I say modern, because the fathers of our venerated Church accorded them a very distinct recognition. But the defect, no doubt, arises from the clergy of the present day, particularly in the metropolis and large towns, being so incessantly employed in the more secular duties of their office duties which must and ought to be performed, but which take up much time, and exhaust much energy. Hence, many of the clergy have not the leisure to make their sermons and publications those perfect compositions which otherwise it would be their desire and pride to accomplish; and it is for this reason that I hope the system of Lay Agency, so ably advocated in your first Number, will be speedily and effectually carried out. It is to be hoped that, in future Numbers, you will yourself contribute to the service of the Church by such a statement of First Principles as you are evidently most able to contribute.

I have one more remark to make. You say that yours is a "Protestant Magazine, and that every contributor, therefore, must have and exercise in it his right of private judgement." Of course, you do not mean this liberty to extend beyond the limits prescribed by the Formulæ and Articles of the Church of England. Within these limits, strictly observed, I think you are right in allowing your contributors some latitude; for I have perceived, where the contrary system has been followed, that not only has the contributor become a mere writing-machine, to supply so much matter, after a copy, but that the plan has ultimately been fatal to the very uniformity and consistency for the sake of which it was adopted. Hoping you every success, I remain, yours faithfully,

A CONSTANT READER.

CHURCH SERVICES.

[We are indebted to a correspondent for the following extract from a letter to "The Record" Newspaper (March 7), from the Rev. William Carus Wilson, dated Feb. 27, 1844] :

"Being anxious to see and judge for myself as to the proceedings in the churches under Tractarian influence, I went last Sunday to Margaret-street Chapel, and also to Mr. Dodsworth's.

"It was the afternoon service that I attended at Margaret-street Chapel, and I was there nearly half an hour before the time. I could not help being struck with the prominent and imposing aspect of the communion table; its elevation, the large cross in basso-relievo, the gorgeous display of candlesticks, and embossed books, and sacramental service. I could not have a doubt that there was a significant meaning in all this, and that it was intended to have a devotional influence on the worshippers; and I am much mistaken if that prominent cross is not used as a help to devotion. The curate, Mr. Richards, came in early, and, after staying a few minutes in the vestry, went into a pew in front of the communion table. He was engaged in private prayer, on his knees, for ten or fifteen minutes, during which he more than once lifted up his head from under his hands and looked earnestly for a minute or two towards the table, and then renewed his devotions. I saw others do the same. Of course, I cannot positively say what was the fact, but certainly the impression was fully made on my mind that the cross was gazed upon as a help to devotion. I know, alas! too well, how the private use of the crucifix is increasing amongst the Tractarian party; and I am sure, that which I saw at Margaret-street Chapel is well calculated to encourage it. I wish I could get a disclaimer from Mr. Richards. Most thankful should I be to find that I am wrong in my suspicions.

.....

"Then for the reading-desk: the position of it, at right angles to the pulpit, and not facing the congregation, the use of it only for the lessons, the entire turning from it during the prayers, with the clergyman's face to the table; and during the psalms, the turning of the minister's body round from the desk to the east, with solemn bows during the Gloria Patri every time of its repetition. What impression could all this make? Every impression seemed to be merged in that of sorrowful sadness and surprise that the Bishop of London does not at once interpose and suppress such wretched, unmeaning mummery, such unwarrantable innovation upon all that we have hitherto loved and been conversant with in our dear Church. Let no one think that these external matters are matters of indifference. They are not; they are the wedge to let in more serious mischief; they are preparing the mind, by their allowances, for the full reception of Popish error. And would that I could end my account of Mr. Oakley's here; but in a sermon on Christ's temptation, in which there was an absence of everything that was calculated to cheer, and encourage, and succour those that are tempted, it was expressly stated, twice over, that penance and fasting were to expiate sin. The fanciful idea was started that Christ fasted on the barren, cheerless desert, and there submitted to the cravings of hunger, in order to atone for the sin of our first parents in feasting on the forbidden fruit in the garden; and the inferences seemed to me to be intended to be drawn, that we must, in like manner, fast in the wilderness of the Lenten season, that we may atone for the sins of our past lives.

"At Mr. Dodsworth's, the novel display of the clergy, with their stools far removed from the table, but kneeling towards it during the prayers, has a distressing Popish aspect, to my feelings, at least. The new collection of hymns seemed to me very objectionable, chiefly very ancient.... The sermon, preached by one of

the curates, I think a Mr. New, was, upon the whole, very sound and unobjectionable, showing very powerfully and usefully the various ways in which men receive the grace of God in vain; the text taken from the epistle for the day. Still, there was the cloven foot: The season of Lent is of Divine origin; Christ commanded it. How, it will be asked, did the preacher prove this? 'The Church has constitnted the Lenten Fast; Christ says, Hear the Church. Therefore, Christ, through the Church, has appointed the season, and the faithful are bound to observe it.' will all this end?"

Where