different state of discipline in the Church. But of these things there is little hope. The spirit of Catholic comprehension has seldom found a home in more than a very few hearts within our Church: the majority have mostly cared for little except maintaining their own position, in whatsoever manner, and however numerous the multitudes they might exclude from it. I do not mean, that the removal of hindrances and obstructions would of itself bring back our brethren, who have separated from us, into the pale of the Church. The awful words of the sleepwalking Queen, What's done cannot be undone, express the curse that follows every sinful act. Though we retrace our steps, we cannot regain our former position; for the world meanwhile has been rolling onward. Nor can the manifold feelings of bitterness and animosity and pride and self-will, which are generated and fostered by habitual schism, be stifled or eradicated in a moment. If our dissenting brethren are to be reclaimed, it must be the work of time, and can only be accomplisht by the preaching of the Gospel of truth and peace, and by proving that the Spirit does indeed dwell in the Church, manifesting Himself by works of holiness and love. But the taking down of the fences which have hitherto kept them out, so far as this may be done without injury to truth and order, is a requisite preparative for this work.

From the bottom of my heart however would I deprecate any attempt to put an end to our differences by establishing a stricter uniformity. To what end indeed should we do so? Do not our churches themselves teach us a very different lesson, if we cast our eyes around us in any part of the land? What rich varieties of form, and structure, and decoration, do we see in them! towers and spires, pinnacles

and parapets, from the majestic, awe-inspiring minster and cathedral, down to the little homely mother of the village, which looks like a hen gathering her chickens under her wings. Yet amid this endless variety what a sublime unity prevails! And who would exchange this beautiful diversity, even if it were practicable, for twelve thousand Brummagem churches, that should all lift up their heads in regimental uniformity, fac-similies one of another? Thus our churches themselves admonish us, that uniformity is not necessary to unity. Nay, even in the diversity of styles which we so often perceive in the same church, we may trace a higher unity, by which successive generations have been led to join in the same holy work. In the present day many of these churches have been greatly disfigured by the corruptions and the negligence of recent ages; and these disfigurements it behoves us to remove, not according to any one general sweeping plan, but by enquiring in each case what is requisite to fulfill the original idea. In like manner may the abuses, which have crept in through neglect, or whatsoever cause, into the celebration of divine worship, be corrected in each particular parish, mildly and gradually and peacefully, under the direction and guidance of the Bishop, according as occasion may require. And if some ritual differences still continue, I know not why, provided they are admitted to be lawful, these should excite any squabbles or animosities, any more than such ordinary facts, as that one church has a round arch, another a pointed.

Here let me be permitted to quote a passage from an unfinisht manuscript sermon of my brother's, which was preacht about a dozen years ago, and which may serve to shew how quietly and inoffensively certain ritual differences

were then allowed to subsist in neighbouring churches. His voice has spoken to many hearts; and not a few will perhaps feel a pleasure in recognizing his simple colloquial style, in the following attempt to give his congregation a notion of the manner in which the various Churches in Christendom unite to make up the Church or Kingdom of Christ. "The different Churches in the different countries of the world, to compare great things with small, are like the different parishes under one Bishop. The Bishopric of Salisbury for instance, in which we are living, reaches over the two counties of Wiltshire and Berkshire. In those two counties there are a great many parishes; and in each parish there is a separate congregation, with a place of worship of its own. Different parishes have different customs. In one parish there is an organ perhaps; in another there is only a village choir; in a third there is no music at all. Again, in one parish there may be two full services, in a second only one full service and prayers; in a third there may be church only once on a Sunday. It would be easy to point out other differences, were it of any use, such as slight differences of dress, one minister wearing a hood or scarf over his surplice, and another not; slight differences of prayers, some reading, as I do, the first prayer for the King in the Communion Service, and others reading the second; slight differences of custom, the Commandments being read in one parish from the Communion Table, and in another parish from the desk. These instances are enough to shew, that differences in smaller matters do exist, and are allowed to exist, in different parishes. In all these lesser points the minister of a parish is allowed to exercise his Christian liberty; nor can his brother minister in the next parish call him to account for so

doing. Still, with all these lesser and allowable differences in the several parishes of this Bishopric, the service on a Sunday morning or Sunday evening is on the main the same in all. Go into what Church you please, you will have the same Psalms, the same Lessons, the same Belief, the same Collects; and you will hear them following one another in the same order. Thus, with all the differences I have been speaking of, the form of worship throughout the whole Bishopric is, to all intents and purposes, the same. And notwithstanding their several differences, the several parishes are all united under the same head, and make one Bishopric under one Bishop."

Surely this is but the picture of a family: Facies non omnibus una, Nec diversa tamen, qualem decet esse sororum. And supposing the great Apostle of the Gentiles had come. to visit these churches, and had found these discrepancies amongst them, what, may we think, would he have done? Would he have exclaimed that such discrepancies are scandalous and intolerable, that they evince wilfulness and laxity and an open disregard of authority? or would he not have lookt upon them calmly and benignly, and said, Go on, dear brethren in Christ Jesus, heirs of the glory to which He has called you; go on, each after his own manner, using those gifts and instruments in His service, which ye have received from the Father; go on, growing in faith, in obedience, in love toward Him and toward each other; and may the Spirit of Grace, and Truth, and Peace sanctify you, and all your acts and services, wholly against His coming.

The question of authority has indeed been brought forward into painful prominence, as often before on similar occasions : : yet I know not what can well be more unwise. Authority ought to act, not talk; to be felt rather than

heard. When it begins to prate of its rights, this is the crack which announces its fall. All the generative powers of nature work silently and invisibly; yet how wonderful and mighty are their effects! And what is the power of authority in the Church? Moral, not physical. It lies in the tacit, half unconscious recognition of the benefits which it produces, of the justice and wisdom with which it is exercised. But when it meddles with petty things, laying stress upon trifles, straining at gnats, and issuing mandates about the breadth of phylacteries, the instinctive sense of propriety and right revolts against it and if it quotes texts to challenge obedience, its opponents will call to mind that there are other texts, equally plain and impressive, enjoining him that would be chief among the ministers of the Gospel, to be the servant of all, even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister.

This is the true foundation of the power of the Church : and when her power rests on this foundation, no man can rob her of it. O that the spirit from which such power springs, may be granted largely to the governors of our Church in this time of her need! O that they may be enricht with that true wisdom, that clear discernment between the form which killeth and the spirit which giveth life, and that living insight into the all-embracing fulness and all-reconciling freedom of the Gospel, which were vouchsafed so abundantly to St Paul !

Conversion of St Paul, 1845.

J. C. H.