far as we know, proved the authority of the rule; but in one of their tracts they give a chain of quotations from the Fathers of their communion, and from their great divines, to show that they maintained the rule, and enforced the obligation of accepting all, to which it might be applied. As a set-off against this apparent leaning towards Popery, the next Tract is devoted to a discussion of the merits of the Roman doctrine of Purgatory. No countenance whatever is given to it. It is treated as a heresy, without any Scripture authority, as an invention of an early age, superstitiously conceived, but comparatively innocent in that golden age of the Church. But when the doctrine was received into the bosom of degenerate Rome, and made the claim of purchase-money for indulgences, it was proved wanting by the standard of tradition We have next a Tract containing quotations from sixty eminent Church authorities, in support of the doctrine of the eucharistic sacrifice, that is, of the presence of Christ in the Sacrament, and of the mysterious efficacy of the rite upon the believing communicant. We should regard most of the language, which is thus quoted, as only the figurative or mystical expressions of devout minds, intended to suggest certain trains of thought, or to excite certain sentiments of devotion in the disciples of Christ, when commemorating their Master. However, it is very difficult to fix any positive meaning upon much of the language which is used, for the writers were so anxious to discountenance transubstantiation, while they held to some mystery in the sacrament, that they were led into much confusion of speech and figure.

Another Tract is composed of four Sermons on Antichrist. Rome, of course, is made to bear the burden of the melancholy prediction, but the signs of the corruption, which the apostle declared should defile the Church, are found in many quarters. No definite date is fixed for the fulfilment of the prediction. The aim of the tract seems to be, to prove that the English Church is the sole surviving pillar of the faith; that even this needs repairs, and that all others are decayed either in the heart, or on the surface. The next Tract discusses the question, whether an English clergyman is bound to have, daily, morning and evening prayers in his parish church? We think, that the duty is fairly proved as binding upon all whom it concerns, by a quotation of authorities from the Church rubric, ritual and actual, and by a selection from the ecorded opinions of the most honored divines in that commun

ion. The only ground of exception allowed, in the Book of Common Prayer, which could absolve a minister from this daily duty, was his illness, or his engagement in the study of divinity. This latter excuse, we observe, might be made to cover a wide surface of engagements and ministerial occupations. A clergyman is studying divinity when he is writing his sermons for Sunday. The tract adduces the examples of several honored divines, who have allowed nothing, not even a most scanty attendance of worshippers, to interfere with their discharge of this daily duty. The next tract is made up of lectures on the Scripture proof of the doctrines of the Church. Its whole argument proceeds upon the distinct admission, that episcopacy cannot be proved to be taught explicitly and systematically in Scripture. It is said to be in the Bible, but not on its surface. It is not made the subject of express and explicit instruction, but is to be culled out, and very ingeniously detected by a mind, which is already assured of its authority. There are implications, dark hints, veiled symbols, and comparisons, which throw light on obscurities, and from all these a submissive believer may fortify his belief, that with tradition to sanction the interpretation of the Church, Episcopacy is taught in the New Testament. The difficulty in this theory is, that besides Episcopacy, so many other doctrines and systems have by the use of these same means been found in Scripture, the means themselves have fallen under suspicion. The author of the tract reasons from analogy, and says, that the difficulties in the way of such an interpretation of Scripture are no greater than the difficulties in deciding the canon of Scripture; and that Church authority being once denied, the way is open to all the unlicensed liberties of latitudinarianism. To this we answer, that one difficulty is not removed by the opposition of another, and that no reasonable Christian is so narrowed in the limits of his choice, that he must either take refuge among bishops, or fall into the snare of unlicensed latitudinarianism.

This tract, however, was well suited to prepare the way for its successor, which points out the indications of a Superintending Providence in the preservation of the Prayer Book, and in the changes which it has undergone. To dispute the assumption upon which this tract proceeds, would open a question far beyond our present intentions. Whether it be right, from age to age, to cling to the whole contents of the Prayer Book, as for the time being they are sustained, and to enforce by griev

ous penalties, and in spite of consciences, implicit obedience in them, and then to claim an interposition of Providence for those alterations which are forced from unwilling priests by the spirit of light, and liberty, whether this be right, we leave with our readers to decide. Among the early publications of the Oxford divines, that which caused the chief outbreak against their movement, was the tract on Reserve in the Communication of Religious Knowledge. The party, however, manfully stood their ground upon this subject; indeed, we may say, that in this tract is centred the very life of their whole system. The ground, which they first assumed, is now fortified by another tract, with the same title. Their theory is, that a kind of illumination, or self-mortification, or deep spiritual humility, is necessary to the apprehension of divine truth; that without this preparation, truth can neither be appreciated nor understood, but on the contrary is in danger of being slighted, and treated with contempt. Therefore, the Church should hold back its most solemn lessons, should veil its most sacred truths, till they may be disclosed with safety, to the illuminated. An attempt is made to prove, from the Fathers, that this was the custom devoutly and resolutely maintained, in the primitive Church, and its usages in this respect are compared at length with the usages of Christian teachers at the present time. The last tract issued, being the eighty-eighth of the series, is a translation and arrangement of the Greek devotions of Bishop Andrews, in many respects a valuable collection of devotional exercises, for daily use, with which many of our readers are probably well acquainted. The reasons, why this collection has thus received the patronage of the Oxford party, may be such as these; the reverence of antiquity, of time-honored creeds and ecclesiastical usages, the liturgical style and method, which appear in the devotional exercises, and the proof which their regular use, morning and evening, by a distinguished prelate, affords of the fact, that the Church expects such offices of piety from all her ministers.

If

Now that the publication of these tracts has been so long continued, and the one great subject of counter-reform has been presented in so many different lights, we are able to form some definite opinion as to the ultimate design of their authors. we attach any weight to their own reiterated disavowals, we must admit that they are not looking with the eyes of desire to the Romanism of the middle ages. They maintain, that the

Church of the first three centuries contained all that is good in Romanism, and was wholly stainless of its blemishes. But one thing is very evident, that the crushing and tyrannical spirit of Romanism, which binds with the ligatures of dictation without reason, the fervor as well as the liberty of an individual soul, breathes through every page of the Oxford tracts. It is almost a miracle to us, that any coterie of well-educated men could subsist, for any length of time, on such a famishing diet as their prælections must have offered to their minds. It would be more than a miracle to us, if they were to succeed in starving any large number of believers into an appetite for such meagre fare as they offer.

We regard these tracts, and the spirit of which they are the organs, as designed to oppose the latitudinarianism, the ultraProtestantism of the present age. Erasmus, after working for a time with the Reformers, drew back in timidity, predicting that time would show, that there is no line of division between Protestantism, and the full license of infidelity. His prediction has been fulfilled in the fears of the Oxford writers, and they have set themselves to roll back the strong tide by a mere cobweb netting, which allows the mighty current to pass through it, while it catches only the floating straws upon the surface. We cannot hope to find security against latitudinarianism, in raking over the now quiet and lifeless ashes of the past for a fire, which may warm a torpid and a cold indifference. The denial of light, the winking at ignorance, the building of imaginary safe-guards around the outposts of faith and reverence, means once found so efficient, cannot be used now. The measure of true piety, and of a Christian spirit, which the Oxford writers exhibit, will after all be found more valuable in their cause than any chain of quotations from Fathers or divines. The best selection of such a character involves the use of language, if not of doctrines and sentiments, which does not now affect the sympathies, or reach the consciences of men. True Protestantism must abide by the pledge, which it gave on the day of its birth, that it would respect individual consciences, and appeal to no other code, save Scripture.

G. E. E.

ART. III. Pastoral Library Magazine. No. I. November, 1840.

We have long desired to see the object, recommended in this pamphlet, brought before the public; and we are rejoiced to see it done in a way which will secure the attention of a part, at least, and, as we hope, of all our American churches. The object proposed is the formation, by religious societies, of Ministerial Libraries. This pamphlet is published apparently under the auspices of our Presbyterian brethren; but it also appears that the Episcopal church is moving in the same matter. We earnestly hope that the Unitarian churches may follow their wise and good example. We believe that there is no possible way in which they could secure from the same amount of money, so great and permanent a public benefit.

The reasons which should induce parishes to establish permanent Ministerial Libraries are very obvious. As it is with young men who enter other professions, so with those who enter the ministry, three out of four, by the time they have completed their nine or ten years of preparatory study, have exhausted all their resources, while many, when this long and expensive course of education is finished, are left more or less in debt. Take one thus situated. He is settled on a salary which is probably very little more than sufficient for the support of a family; and if he shrink from an old age of penury, and from leaving his family, in case of his death, in destitution, he is compelled to avoid all expenditures which are not absolutely necessary. He leaves the Theological School with habits of study, and enters on his office, we may suppose, with high and pure aims, and with capacities which give the promise of permanent usefulness. But as soon as he is settled he meets with obstacles which he had not anticipated. Before this time his limited means had precluded the purchase of books, and now, if he have a family, he finds that it is impossible for him to purchase them. Or if he do it, it must be at the sacrifice of the hope even of laying up anything for his children, or against his own sickness, or old age. It may indeed be said, that money invested in books is not lost, but only put into another form, and may again, on necessity, be turned into money. But it is not so. Suppose that a minister, resolved that his mind shall not starve, nor his people famish because of 3D S. VOL. XII. NO. I.

VOL. XXX.

-

7