ence the duty of promoting that great and beneficent object for which in her beautiful formularies she unceasingly prays "that God's way may be known. upon earth, his saving health among all nations."

To another religious association, the Church Missionary Society, which, by its zealous and useful labours, has done much to remove from the Church of England the reproach that she is deficient in missionary zeal, Bishop Burgess also gave his early support and countenance. The venerable Societies for promoting Christian Knowledge, and for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, had already received signal proofs of his attachment. The Church Union Association in his own diocese had, in fact, become, under his auspices, an active and efficient auxiliary to the former, and he felt deeply interested in the support and extension of the latter, as a Society almost identified with the Established Church, and capable, if duly supported, of diffusing her pure forms and apostolical influence throughout our vast foreign dependencies. He justly regarded it and the Church Missionary Society as occupying distinct fields of labour; the one being specially devoted to the diffusion of Christian knowledge throughout our colonial possessions, without altogether overlooking the claims of the heathen; the other labouring principally for the evangelization of the heathen, without excluding the benefit of our colonies. Between societies thus constituted on the principles of the Church, employed in works of such disinterested

benevolence and such arduous difficulty, and with World to operate upon, "bursting," to use Johnson's expressive words, "with sin and sorrow," he was not disposed to admit that any other rivalry ought to exist than a generous emulation which should most extend the kingdom of the Redeemer, and most effectually minister to the good of mankind.

Upon the same general principles he cordially supported the London Society for the Conversion of the Jews; and as it is the only association in connection with the Church of England which embraces this object, he regarded it with particular interest. He thought that Christians, instead of treating Jews with contempt and prejudice, should act towards them with a charity inspired by the recollection that their own choicest blessings and privileges have descended to them through the channel of Judaism, and with the hope of being instrumental in hastening the advent of that day, the pledge of increased glory to the Christian Church, when the veil shall be removed from the hearts of God's ancient people, and they shall acknowledge and adore in Jesus Christ the true Messiah. His love of Hebrew learning added to the force of these and similar considerations; and so strongly did they act upon his feelings that a box for the receipt of subscriptions and donations, in aid of the Jews' Society, usually lay upon his library-table.*

*The above-mentioned Society has recently established a mission at Jerusalem, and a chapel is at this moment in course of erection

The part taken by the Bishop in the exercise of his independent judgment, with respect to these Societies, was closely accordant with the course pursued by his friend Bishop Barrington. Like him, also, he was a zealous promoter of the Madras system of education, and like him (as far as his much narrower means permitted), the liberal patron of a great variety of other public institutions and charities, having for their object the temporal and spiritual welfare of his destitute fellow-creatures.

under its auspices, in which the service of our National Church is to be daily performed in the Hebrew language. Within the last twenty years, the Jews at Jerusalem have very considerably increased in number, and there is a constant influx thither from various parts of Europe. Hitherto, Jewish inquirers after Truth, in the Holy City, have only known Christianity through the Greek, or Romish, or Armenian Churches, in connection, therefore, with revolting superstition and gross errors. They will now have access to it through the medium of our own scriptural services and beautiful formularies. We rejoice to know that this plan has the approbation and support of the eminent and excellent Prelate who presides over the See of London.

CHAP. XXI.

GENERAL REMARKS ON THE BISHOP'S TRACTS IN REFUTATION OF UNITARIANISM.

1814 to 1820.

BETWEEN the years 1814 and 1820 the Bishop published various tracts in refutation of Unitarianism, and re-published the whole in one volume in the year 1820. They are marked by extensive scriptural and theological learning. The critical skill with which they develop the force and meaning of various important texts connected with the main subject, the ability with which they condense proofs derived from the writings of the Fathers, in attestation of the Trinitarian faith of the primitive churches; the skill with which they accumulate authorities from the works of the most eminent modern critics and divines, in support of this fundamental doctrine of the Church Catholic, and their tone of earnest piety, illustrate the various learning, the mental acuteness, and the devout feelings of their author, while they no less forcibly expose expose the futility of the evasions and sophistries beneath which Unitarians are forced to take shelter in their vain endeavours to sustain a hopeless cause.

Among these tracts, that addressed to a Lay Seceder combines in a superior degree these qualities, though it is to be regretted that the Bishop in this, as well as in some of his other publications, has occasionally pressed a doubtful text into the service of orthodoxy, which needs no other support than that which it derives from the plain tenor of the Bible, from the particular evidence of incontrovertible texts and passages of Scripture, and from the general consent of Christian antiquity.

It should always be borne in mind that the question of truth or error in reference to the doctrine of the Trinity is one in which not a single secure step can be taken excepting under the light and guidance of Divine Revelation. Having reference to so mysterious and awful a subject as the mode of the Divine existence, no arguments drawn from the common resources of reason, no analogies derived from visible objects, can be safely trusted to in such a discussion. "Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea," Job xi. 7, 8, 9. Every thing around and within us tends to illustrate the ignorance of man and the narrowness of the sphere to which his researches are necessarily limited. His proudest discoveries amount, in fact, to little more than a scratching on the su