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We hold the evangelist, the minister at large, whether he be Mr. Bingham at the Sandwich Islands, or Dr. Mc'Ilvaine in Ohio, to be the true successor to all that is not extraordinary and temporary, in the office sustained by Paul and Peter, or by Barnabas and Timothy. In like manner we regard the recognized and official teacher and president of a christian congregation,-whether his office originate in the xperia of a prelate or presbytery, or in the Xporovia of the brotherhood,-whether he prays in a surplice or a surtout, as exercising essentially the same office with the bishops at Philippi, and with those whom Timothy was to ordain in Asia Minor, and Titus in Crete. Let it be understood, that this is the view of the christian ministry entertained by Congrega tionalists, and the arguments commonly urged by prelatists, will not seem very conclusive, or very pertinent to the question.

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Why then do we object to the constitution and organization of the American Episcopal Church? We have already intimated, that we do not object to it because the church of Rome has bishops; nor because the church of England is united to the state; nor because any dangerous amount of power is lodged in its prelates and conventions. Our objections are entirely of another sort. Some two or three of the gravest may suffice for the present, to show, that in refusing to go with the mighty crowd which Mr. Colton expects to find rushing upon his heels into the communion and ministry of the Episcopal church, we are not actuated by a mere spirit of obstinacy.

Our first great objection, then, to Episcopalianism, is, that Episcopalians generally, and naturally, regard christianity too much as a matter of organization and outward order. A sufficient illustration of what we mean is found in the book which we have been examining. The author was educated, and has always been accustomed, to regard christianity as consisting in certain great truths revealed from God for the regeneration and salvation of sinners; to regard the saving power of the gospel as nothing else than the power of truth brought into the mind by the living Spirit of God's grace; and to regard it as of no consequence whatever, by what ministration or outward teaching, the sinner is brought to the foot of the cross, and to receive the truth in the love of it. But no sooner does he become an Episcopalian, than, behold, christianity has become to him a system of forms, of outward institutions, of dignities, and authorities, and functions; and its grace and salvation are no longer all in the living word,—all in the preaching of the gospel of peace, but all in the hands of a divinely constituted hierarchy, which hierarchy must be "distinctly traceable" from age to age in an unbroken line of transmitted sacredness, or the kingdom of God on earth has ceased to be. This is not at all peculiar to this author. It is common to all the de

fenders of Episcopalianism with whose writings we are conversant. Indeed, we doubt whether it is possible to construct an argument for the peculiarities of the Episcopal church as of divine appointment, which shall not assume as an axiom," this unworthy view of the christian religion.

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Hence it is, that Episcopalians generally are far more ready to recognize a popish priest as a minister of Jesus Christ, than to recognize in the same relation a Congregational or Presbyterian pastor. Hence it is, that the idolatry and the stupendous despotism of the church of Rome, and the barbarous ignorance and superstition of the Oriental churches, are held to be less effectual to vitiate the credentials of the priesthood of those churches as ministers of Jesus Christ and successors of the apostles, than the want of "endless genealogy" on the part of the reformed churches of Europe and America, to vitiate the credentials of their pastors as "faithful stewards of the mysteries of Christ."

We cannot go over to Episcopacy till we see some hope of this "old leaven" being purged out. If there are ministers and candidates for the ministry, with whom Mr. Colton's suggestion, that it is easier to read prayers than to make them, and the hope of escaping from the troublesome "supervision" of laymen and praying mothers in Israel, will prevail against their preferences for the simplest and most spiritual form of christianity; let them go out from us, for surely they are not of us.

Another grave objection to the system of the Episcopal church is, that it makes no provision for the exercise of a proper discipline in the church, or for a visible distinction between those who profess to be converted and renewed disciples of Christ, and those who are confessedly unconverted. We know indeed, that the professions, solemnly and publicly made at confirmation, involve, according to the legitimate meaning of language, the profession of a spiritual conversion to God; but we know also, that it is not generally regarded in practice. Baxter tells us how it was in England when he was confirmed, being a school boy about fifteen years of age. "We that were boys ran out to see the bishop among the rest, not knowing any thing of the meaning of the business. When we came thither we met about thirty or forty in all, of our own stature and temper, that had come to be bishopped, as then it was called. The bishop examined us, not at all in one article of faith; but in a church yard, in haste we were set in a rank, and he passed hastily over us, laying his hands on our heads, which neither I, nor any that I spoke with, understood; so hastily were they uttered, and a very short prayer recited, and there was an end. But whether we were christians or infidels, or knew so much as that there was a God, the bishop little knew nor inquired.

And yet he was esteemed one of the best bishops in England."* In this country at the present day, there is undoubtedly more decency. And, what is much to be rejoiced in, there seems to be a distinct effort on the part of a certain class of Episcopal ministers to make confirmation mean, at least in their congregations, a profession of having experienced the renewing grace of God. Yet, that the minister is authorized by the rubrics to insist on evidence of a new heart in the candidate for confirmation, is a point not made out without something like special pleading. Suppose, however, that this point is carried in the church; and that confirmation is henceforward generally understood to mean just what a profession of religion is understood to mean in orthodox Congregational churches. What then? Is not every person born within the church a member of the church? Must not the minister baptize the children of all sorts of parents, asking no questions for conscience sake? Are the "confirmed" members of a particular congregation understood to sustain any special relation of mutual brotherhood? Is there any arrangement enabling these persons to fulfil the mutual duties of church membership, as those duties are continually urged in the new testament? If a duly confirmed communicant absents himself from the Lord's supper, and even from public worship, if he breaks the sabbath, and neglects all forms of family religion, is there any discipline which seeks to reclaim him, or which bears public testimony against him? The entire government of the church is, theoretically, in the hands of the minister; but what can he do, unaided, in a congregation of a thousand souls? It is our serious belief, that any form of church discipline which leaves it with the minister alone to say, who shall be church members in good standing, dispenses with all the benefits of church discipline.

A third objection to the system of the Episcopal church, may be stated in words not unlike those used by our author in reference to another subject, 'It robs the pastoral office of its primitive, legitimate, essential, reasonable influence.' What are the functions of a pastor in the Episcopal church? Is he to conduct public worship? Nothing is committed to his discretion or his ability. Every thing is prescribed to him by a higher authority. He may not utter a word which is not in the printed book. The sword of the angel of pestilence may hang over the affrighted land, but he may not call the congregation to unite in prayer, that the destruction may be averted, till the bishop shall issue the order

*Baxter's Works, Vol. xiv. p. 481.

The Pastor's Testimony, by the Rev. John A. Clark, Rector of St. Andrew's Church, Philadelphia,-is the title of a little book on confirmation, written, as we judge from a partial examination, in the very best spirit, for the purpose of inculcating the strictly evangelical theory of that ordinance.

and the form. Is he to go before, when the dead are borne to the grave? Is he to officiate, when the vows of matrimony are assumed? At the funeral there is one unbending form of words and ceremonies. And so it is at the bridal. No peculiarity in the circumstances, will authorize the least deviation from the prescription. Is he to preach? The congregation, after going through with all the forms of the liturgy, will endure only a short sermon. Mr. Colton indeed suggests, that the minister, whose "intellect is not tasked for the prayers," may reserve his whole strength for the sermon ; but he has probably found by this time, that a little strength is enough for such sermons as are convenient to be preached in connection with the liturgy. What then is the officiating minister in an Episcopal parish? Instead of being fully the gods, or president of a church, the pastor who is to feed the flock with knowledge, the teacher to whom they look for rich, and thorough, and extended expositions of the word of God, he is a "priest," reading a certain series of prescribed prayers, and performing certain religious ceremonies, the "validity" of which depends not at all on his intellectual and moral endowments, but on that something, neither intellectual nor moral, which passed into his head from the hands of the ordaining bishop. We thank God, that there are ministers in the Episcopal connection who, richly endowed with the gifts of nature and of grace, make themselves felt, and honored, and loved, not as priests but as preachers and pastors. We honor that energy in them which overcomes the difficulties of their position; and we cannot doubt, that if all were like them, the system which involves these difficulties would, ere long, be safely and effectually reformed.

The actual progress of piety and of the true spirit of christian enterprise in the Episcopal church is eminently cheering. For, though that sect is comparatively small as respects the number of its ministers and churches, many circumstances seem to indicate, that it may be destined in the providence of God, to sustain an important part in the work of saving our land and of saving the world. All who, with enlarged minds and liberal hearts, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, must pray for the prosperity of that church, and for the effusion upon it of the reviving influences of the Holy Spirit. To the prayer of their liturgy, "Send down upon our bishops and other clergy, and upon the congregations committed to their charge, the healthful spirit of thy grace," what heart that loves the Lord Jesus Christ will not respond, Amen. VOL. VIII.

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ART. VII.-TYNDALE AND HIS NEW TEstament.

The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: Published in 1526 Being the first translation from the Greek into English, by that eminent scholar and martyr, William Tyndale. Reprinted verbatim: with a memoir of his Life and Writings, by George Offor. Together with the proceedings and correspondence of Henry VIII., Sir T. More, and Lord Cromwell. LONDON: 1836.

"I defy the pope and all his laws; and if God give me life ere many years the ploughboys shall know more of the scriptures than you do." So exclaimed WILLIAM TYNDALE, translator of the first published version of the new testament in English, in reply to the popish divine, who, when unable to meet Tyndale's argument in favor of a vernacular translation,-impudently declared, "We had better be without God's laws than the pope's." In the volume before us, we have a decisive proof how amply he redeemed this pledge; and it is with no small pleasure, that we hail the republication, after more than three hundred years, of the first printed English translation of the new testament. This volume is a reprint of an unique copy, now in possession of the Baptist College, Bristol, in England, by whom it was lent for this purpose. The antique orthography is retained; though the old black letter as less easy to be copied, has been replaced by the Roman. With this exception, it is said to be a true transcript. The frontispiece contains several figures-in different compartments. The upper central one, is no doubt meant to represent Christ disputing with the doctors, while ranged around on each side in separate compartments, are Matthew, Mark, Luke, John the Apocalypst, Jude, Paul, Peter, John the evangelist and James. Besides this, the volume contains two rude pictures representing the burning of the scriptures, at Paul's Cross, London, and Tyndale's martyrdom. The accuracy of this version of a part of the bible is indeed wonderful. In some instances we prefer it as the more simple and condensed to the one in common use. We intend to recur to it again before we close the article, and shall furnish our readers with some specimens by which they may compare it with others. It is divided into chapters, but has no verses, such as we now find in our bibles and testaments. Our principal object in placing the volume at the head of this article is, to make a few remarks on the sketch of Tyndale's life, prefixed to the testament. It is from the pen of George Offor-who in the preface says, "The present sketch of the life of this great man is chiefly compiled from materials in the writer's possession, which he has been gradually accumulating for many years, with a view to a bibliographical history of our religious literature, previous to the introduction and general circulation of the English scriptures, including an account of the first printed versions in their successive editions. Should

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