is wrong, encouraging and rewarding what is right-never weary in well-doing-not coveting favour, or applause, or admiration, or distinction, but calmly and constantly counteracting the tendency to decay, inherent in all human things. Without this the best and wisest rules will have been framed in vain. This spirit can never be created by Acts of Parliament and Orders in Council. It must originate and be kept alive by a personal sense of duty, and therefore will vary and fluctuate with the several individuals who from time to time have the management of the institutions, and with the natural fickleness of the public mind."

*

*

"Upon the duty of making religion the basis of general education, it is needless for me here to expatiate. It seems, indeed, to be admitted even by those, the tendency of whose plans we regard with most suspicion. But religion is a word of wide import. We of the Church of England mean not the same by it which Papists and heretics, and sectarians of various denominations, mean. Let me entreat you to enter into no compromise on this subject. Open the doors of your schools to all who are willing to come; but do not bribe them to come by a sacrifice of what you know to be sacred truth: every attempt of the kind is abortive. It satisfies neither party; while it furnishes a weapon to our adversaries, and a means of undermining the Church, when they are afraid to assail it openly. A circular, under an official form, though accredited by no name, has recently come to my hands, the object of which is to vindicate the plan lately condemned by the House of Lords, from the charges brought against it. The time would not now permit me to enter into a particular examination of this performance. It appears to me to be as deficient in all sound views of political philosophy, and even of that narrow branch of political philosophy which too often usurps its province-political economy as it is in the weightier matters of religion. The examples taken from foreign countries, as guides for ourselves in this proposed work of National Education, have no application to England. Almost all of them are the offspring of despotic governments, and involve compulsory measures, which in this country are impracticable, even if they were desirable. But, in truth, I suspect and I deprecate every experiment of this kind emanating from Government-I do not mean the Government of the day, but from any Government. The State has recognized a public instructor of the poor, the National Church. Let the governors and influential members of that Church be mindful of their duty; and if they offer instruction freely to the poor, they ought to be helped by Government, when the peculiar circumstances of any neighbourhood require it. We are the Almoners of the State for religious purposes. If other denominations of Christians apply for similar aid, let the State take care that it does not, by assisting them, indirectly assail the Church which it professes to maintain; and which, especially as regards the corruptions of Romanism, it is bound exclusively to maintain. If the care of Government be extended to other objects besides moral and religious instruction, the Church does not claim any special favour. But I entertain serious doubts whether it is for the public good that

such matters should be under the control of Government-and whether they ought not to be left wholly to private competition, and to that desire of secular advantage which is sufficiently strong to raise up the means of instruction wherever they are wanted, without this encouragement, and which then undesignedly and unconsciously adjusts the provision made to the wants and circumstances of each particular neighbourhood.

The well-known maxim of policy which has led to the cessation of all meddling interference of enlightened Governments in commerce and agriculture is not inapplicable to these speculations-Leave us to ourselves. Society will work out its own good of a temporal nature, through the medium of private interest, much better than Government can do it for us: while the grand error into which all plans of centralization naturally fall-that of treating in the same manner districts wholly different in circumstances and habits-is thus avoided. Cities, towns, villages, rural parishes, present a diversified field to act upon. They require a policy often widely different, and specially adapted to their respective conditions; and it is from a neglect of this simple but important truth, that some recent laws have tended far and wide to demoralize the country, in order to remedy alleged abuses of a particular branch of trade in a few great towns."-p. 24.

THE CHURCHMAN'S CHRISTIAN COURSE.*

A CHILD, therefore, being born of Christian parents, and by them offered to the Church to be received into her society, the Church, in obedience to Christ's command, according to the practice of the universal Church, expresses her willingness to receive it. But at the same time, considering the frailty and mortality of the parents, she requires some other persons, called godfathers and godmothers, to be specially present, as witnesses, proxies, and sureties. As witnesses, to attest upon occasion, that this child was baptized; as proxies for the child, by whom he may promise, (or they, in his name,) that he will perform the conditions of the covenant into which he is now admitted; and lastly, as sureties to the Church that this child shall be brought up in the Christian religion. Such great care does the Church take, that all who are admitted into her society may believe and live as becomes Christians. The child therefore being brought by them to the Church, is there presented to the Lord, whose minister, finding it there, and understanding that it has not yet been baptized, puts the people in mind of the necessity of baptism, and exhorts them to pray that this child may have it effectually administered to him. Upon which the congregation join with him in supplicating the Most High God, that he would wash and sanctify this child, so that it may be saved. Then the minister reads to them part of the Gospel concerning the children who were brought to our Lord, draws some plain and proper inferences from it, and gives God

* Altered from Bishop Beveridge.

thanks for the same. After this, he addresses himself to the sureties, and acquaints them, that as Christ has promised to hear their prayers for this child, which they have now brought to him, so the child must for his part promise, by them as his sureties, that he will renounce the devil and all his works, constantly believe God's holy word, and obediently keep His commandments. After which, by means of questions propounded in the name of the Church, and answered by the sureties in the name of the child, the minister prays that the child may have grace to perform what he has now promised. And then having asked by what name they would have the child called, he pours water upon it, and calling it by that name, he says: I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Which being the very words which our Lord commanded to be used in the administration of this sacrament, the child is now fully and perfectly baptized. And to testify her acknowledgment of this, the Church immediately receives it into her communion, and solemnly declares it to be now a Christian, not only by words, but also by making a cross upon the child's forehead, the minister saying, in the name of the Church, We receive this child into the congregation of Christ's flock, and do sign it with the sign of the cross, &c. The minister lastly puts the sureties in mind of the duty now incumbent upon them, to see that the child be taught, so soon as he shall be able to learn, what a solemn vow, promise, and profession he has made by them, and all other things which a Christian ought to know and believe to his soul's health, and then to bring it to the Bishop to be confirmed by him.

The Church having thus obtained a new member, and taken security for its education in the faith of Christ, has provided for the better performance of this duty, by drawing up a short catechism for the child to learn, (when he is able,) consisting of all things necessary for it to know, and nothing else. And in order that she may be certified whether the child has learned it or not, she commands that the minister of the parish where he lives do frequently and openly, in the Church, examine and instruct him in it. This newlymade Christian having come to years of discretion, and understanding what his sureties promised in his name when he was baptized, is brought by them, or by some others, to the Bishop to be confirmed by him. At which time, he, in the presence of God and of the congregation there assembled, renews the solemn promise and vow which was then made in his name, ratifying and confirming the same in his own person, and acknowledging himself bound to believe and do all those things which his godfathers and godmothers then undertook for him. And that he may be enabled so to do, the Bishop with the whole congregation there present, jointly pray to God to assist and strengthen him with his grace and spirit. And then the Bishop, after the example of the holy Apostles, lays his hand upon the child's head, and prays to God for him. All which being duly performed as it ought, cannot certainly but be very effectual to the great ends and purposes for which it is used, as Chistians in all ages have found by their own experience.

Being thus confirmed, he is now looked upon in the eye of the Church as no longer a minor, but of full age to receive and enjoy all the blessings and privileges which his heavenly Father in the holy Gospel hath settled upon him. His godfathers and godmothers being discharged from their duty, he is henceforward to stand by himself, under the care and guidance of his spiritual mother-the Church. If he is but dutiful and obedient to her, and obeys those good directions which she gives him, he has but little to fear. For she considers what powerful enemies he has to fight with--that the flesh, the world, and the devil, will all strive to recover their possession of him; and she therefore furnishes him out of God's word, with such spiritual armour, as, if he is not wanting to himself, may enable him not only to withstand, but to overcome them all. She considers every distemper to which he is liable, and, finding suitable remedies prescribed for each in the holy Scriptures, she directs him how to apply them, so that he may either prevent or cure the particular maladies to which he is subject. In short she considers the great work he has to do, no less than to work out his salvation with fear and trembling; that he can never do it without the assistance of God's spirit, and that he has no ground to expect any such assistance, but in the use of those means which God has appointed for that end; hence she often calls upon him to use these means, instructs him how to do it in a proper manner, and keeps him in continual exercise and employment about the work he has to do, namely, that he may be saved.

Among other means which the Church employs to keep the soul of the Christian continually possessed with a deep sense of God, and with as high apprehensions of the great mysteries of the Gospel as it is capable of entertaining, she so orders, that every thing relating to the public service which she requires him to perform to God, as well as the service itself, shall strike an awe and reverence of the Divine Majesty into him, as being set apart and appropriated only to that use. Thus she appoints some certain days, wherein to lay aside all other business, and apply himself wholly to this; especially, out of God's own word, enjoining him to keep holy the Lord's-day. Besides which, in order to keep the great mysteries of the Gospel always fresh in his mind and memory, she prescribes some certain days in every year on which to commemorate the Nativity, Circumcision, and Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, his presentation in the Temple, his Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension, and his mission of the Holy Ghost, with the lives and deaths of the Apostles and the Evangelists, who not only propagated the Gospel in the world, but sealed it also with their own blood. And the very setting apart of these and the like days for the public worshipping of God, conduces very much to make him remember and understand the great things transacted in them; and so to enable him to apprehend and admire more perfectly the power and goodness of God discovered in them. And for that reason also she requires him to perform his public devotions to God, in God's own house, a place consecrated wholly to him and his service. And that he may

do it in a better manner when there, she appoints one of God's own ministers, a person set apart for that very office, to assist him in it. And she commands this person, at that time, to appear in a different habit from that which he wears at any other time; and all this she does in order to take off the thoughts of the Christian, as much as possible, from other things, and to fix them wholly upon God, and the great work he is now employed about. The place, the minister, the habit which he wears, all put him in mind that he is not now employed in any common or worldly occupation; but that he is in the special presence of Almighty God, worshipping Him; and consequently that it is his duty, as well in soul as in body, to conduct himself with reverence and godly fear.

With regard also to the service itself, the Church has provided him with a Liturgy, which contains all things for his edification: so that he can never enter into God's house without, except through his own negligence and inattention, returning home wiser and better than he came. In that holy place he prays for every thing which he needs, he gives thanks to God for every blessing which he has received, he is taught every thing which it is needful for him to know; and lest he should at any time be seduced into error, or tempted to sin; lest he should grow dull in his devotions, cold in his charity, remiss in any duty to God or man, or careless of his own eternal good, she has ordered the Holy Scriptures to be read, and a Sermon to be preached to him; and this, moreover, not by any person who will undertake it, (for then the remedy might prove worse than the disease,) but by one, who, by the solemn imposition of the hands of the Bishop, having first been strictly and diligently examined as to his fitness for such a place and trust, is ordained to that office ;-by one who has subscribed to all the articles of religion-who has publicly declared his unfeigned assent and consent to the use of all things contained and prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer; by one approved of, and licensed thereunto, by the Bishop of the diocese, who, if he finds just cause for it, is empowered to take away his licence, and to suspend him from the execution of his office. So that, if the Christian is himself willing, he may be sure to have the word of God rightly, duly, and constantly administered to him; and not only the word, but likewise the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which he is required to receive as often as he possibly can, to put him in mind of what his Saviour has done and suffered for his sins, and so to confirm his faith in him, to inflame his devotion to him, and to prepare and qualify him the better to converse with his Lord in heaven, to which nothing contributes more than frequent addresses to Him in this holy sacrament upon earth.

Thus, then, he who keeps himself in constant communion with the Church, is continually employed by her about some or other of those means which Christ has ordained for his salvation, and to which He has promised the assistance of the Holy Spirit. By virtue whereof the Christian of whom we have hitherto discoursed, is enabled to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. But, having spent some