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travagantly seduce any who have been bred up in a Church so well constituted?"*

In her Articles and Homilies, the Church of England gives an exposition of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity in clear and intelligible language. "In addition to those copious extracts from the Word of God, with which her Liturgy is diversified and enriched, and by means of which the truths of scripture are so widely and obviously disseminated, there is not a portion of this admirable composition into which the peculiar tenets of the Gospel are not intimately woven, and throughout which their spirit is not inseparably diffused. There is not a confession, a supplication, or a thanksgiving, which she puts into the mouth of her worshippers, but is founded on the basis of evangelical truth, and recognises some article of Christian faith. Those broad and fundamental doctrines of which the belief is necessary to salvation, meet the eye and the ear in almost every sentence, and either directly or indirectly address themselves to the understanding, the conscience, and the heart of all who join in her sacred services. So that the Book of Common Prayer may not incorrectly be considered as a diffused exposition of the articles of our Church, exhibiting, in a less didactic, but not in a less intelligible form, the same great and essential truths which she commissions and commands her delegated pastors to proclaim and enforce." "And no one within the pale of our communion, can justify his being 'carried about with divers and strange doctrines,' on the plea that his Church has not furnished him with a clear and correct delineation of scriptural truth.Ӡ

We come now to the conclusion of the whole argument, and I shall be much disappointed, if all who hear me this day do not acquiesce in the decision of the preacher:—that the Church of England is well calculated

* Vide the Preface to Bishop Burnet's History of the Reformation. This well-written passage is from a Sermon by the late Rev. E. Cooper,

anno 1818.

to promote and preserve the best interests of a Protestant nation, and that her Liturgy is justly entitled to the approval of all orthodox christians and all sound subjects of a British government-of all who really study in their faith and practice the glory of God and the good of mankind-of all who, with the disciple in the text, go to Christ in a meek and teachable disposition, and say unto him, "Lord, teach us to pray," and who really see and feel the advantage and necessity of prayer, and the universality and comprehensiveness of that perfect Form which we prize as a memorial of our blessed Lord's personal condescension and holy concern for our best interests as men and brethren, and with which I invite you all to terminate our present meditations.-Our Father which art in heaven! hallowed be thy name! thy kingdom come! thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven! Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us! and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

J. G. Kendall, Printer, 47, Holborn Hill

SERMO N,

BY THE

REV. FRED. CALVERT, A. M.

RECTOR OF WHATFIELD AND CHELLESWORTH,

AND

LATE FELLOW AND TUTOR OF JESUS COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.

IPSWICH:

PRINTED AND SOLD BY R. DECK;

SOLD ALSO BY

RIVINGTON AND CO. AND HAMILTON AND CO., LONDON; J. DECK, BURY; AND H. HARDACRE, HADLEIGH.

1835.

Things temporal, and such as are mere external appendages of any system, must and do change, sooner or later; but things eternal, such as the vital and essential principles of Christianity, are above the influence both of human opinion and the vibrations of time. This line of argument we may correctly adopt when speaking of the Protestant Reformed Church of this Kingdom. Spots have frequently been observed on the disc of the sun; but have they not sometimes been discovered to be merely nebula floating in the atmosphere, or specks on the lenses of the telescope, the medium of vision? But even granting that the discipline of the National Church requires at present some correction and amendment in a few minor points, can our dissenting brethren really lift up their voices, and, in a tone of triumph, claim for their own discipline an immaculate character? Let the late cases brought forward in our courts of judicature, by some of their leading ministers and elders, furnish a reply: and let the reply be such as may cause them to be mute on the subject now under consideration.

Here I beg leave to introduce, as appropriately applicable to the general question, the words of the illustrious author of the History of the Reformation. "If we reflect on the true ends of Christ's holy religion, we must be convinced that we need go no where else out of our own Church to find them; and that we are completely instructed in all parts of it, and furnished with all the helps to advance us to that which is indeed the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls. Here we have the rule of holy obedience, and the methods of repentance and reconciliation for past sins clearly set before us. We believe all that doctrine which Christ and His apostles delivered, and the primitive Church received. We have the comfort of all those sacraments which Christ instituted, and in the same manner that he appointed them. All the helps to devotion that the Gospel offers, are in every one's hand. So what can it be that should so ex

travagantly seduce any who have been bred up in a Church so well constituted?"*

In her Articles and Homilies, the Church of England gives an exposition of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity in clear and intelligible language. "In addition to those copious extracts from the Word of God, with which her Liturgy is diversified and enriched, and by means of which the truths of scripture are so widely and obviously disseminated, there is not a portion of this admirable composition into which the peculiar tenets of the Gospel are not intimately woven, and throughout which their spirit is not inseparably diffused. There is not a confession, a supplication, or a thanksgiving, which she puts into the mouth of her worshippers, but is founded on the basis of evangelical truth, and recognises some article of Christian faith. Those broad and fundamental doctrines of which the belief is necessary to salvation, meet the eye and the ear in almost every sentence, and either directly or indirectly address themselves to the understanding, the conscience, and the heart of all who join in her sacred services. So that the Book of Common Prayer may not incorrectly be considered as a diffused exposition of the articles of our Church, exhibiting, in a less didactic, but not in a less intelligible form, the same great and essential truths which she commissions and commands her delegated pastors to proclaim and enforce." "And no one within the pale of our communion, can justify his being 'carried about with divers and strange doctrines,' on the plea that his Church has not furnished him with a clear and correct delineation of scriptural truth."+

We come now to the conclusion of the whole argument, and I shall be much disappointed, if all who hear me this day do not acquiesce in the decision of the preacher:—that the Church of England is well calculated

* Vide the Preface to Bishop Burnet's History of the Reformation. + This well-written passage is from a Sermon by the late Rev. E. Cooper, anno 1818.

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