only reply, that whatever authority our Lord conferred on Peter, by the gift of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, the same authority was also given to all the Apostles, as appears from chap. xviii. ver. 18. The Papists have eyes to see the former passage, but none to see the latter.

If it be objected to this verbal criticism, that our Lord spoke in Hebrew or Syriac, and not in Greek, we answer, our Lord and His Apostles spoke and wrote by the same Spirit;

for "Holy men," Prophets and Apostles, "spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

I humbly trust that the above will tend to clear up, and firmly establish, the only sound, consistent, and scriptural interpretation of this important passage of holy Scripture, which has been wrested by the Papists to their own destruction, and very imperfectly understood and explained by Protestant commentators in general.

THE time is fast approaching at which all our great Religious Societies will hold their Anniversary Meetings in this metropolis. This is always a season of much interest and excitement; ought it not to be also a season of much spiritual profit and refreshment? -a season which should leave an abiding blessing upon the souls of those who attend these meetings? Ought it not to be our desire and prayer that the result may be to make all the Christians who take an interest in those societies more diligent and active, more devoted and self-denying, throughout the whole of the following year? so that the benefit and blessing should be both great and permanent.

If this should be our desire and prayer, ought it not also to be the careful and earnest endeavour of all who are concerned in arranging such meetings, that those meetings should be so conducted as is calculated, under the blessing of God, to secure such permanent benefits? Is the importance of such meetings duly considered?—that is to say, the importance of the opportunities they present for christian edification, and the use of such means as are best suited to secure advantages and blessings that shall not quickly pass away?

A large proportion, it may be supposed, of the Christians in this great city will attend some one or more of these meetings. Many Christians distant parts of the coun

one fron

try, either expressly for the purpose of attending them, or gladly availing themselves of the opportunity of so doing. Some there often are who come from other countries; and of these it may fairly be expected that the number will, this year, be unusually large. On some of these occasions, something near approaching to four thousand persons will be assembled in Exeter Hall; and ministers, missionaries, christian noblemen, and gentlemen, from every part of the land, and from almost every part of the habitable globe, will be put forward, and called upon to address the multitudes gathered together.

Here then we have a combination of all the circumstances which constitute a great opportunity. We have large assemblies gathered together, to promote the interests of great societies, whose objects are unspeakably important, having reference not merely to the temporal well-being, but to the eternal welfare of man

kind. The objects in view are the glory of God, and the salvation of immortal souls. Do the secretaries and committees of the various societies, who arrange these meetings, take these facts into due consideration? Do they keep them in constant_remembrance? Are they influenced by a single and paramount desire to select such speakers as are most likely to do their utmost to improve the opportunities which are presented? Do the speakers, each and all, consider

the very solemn responsibility which rests upon them? Do they, with the deepest and best consideration of which they are capable, and with very earnest prayer for guidance and blessing from on High, prepare beforehand, and earnestly endeavour at the time, to say something so weighty, so well-digested, so pointed and striking, so apt, and (above all) so scripturally true and momentous, that it may be reasoanbly expected to leave a deep and abiding impression upon the minds and hearts of all who hear.

"The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. THE WORDS OF THE WISE ARE AS GOADS, AND AS NAILS FASTENED

BY THE MASTERS OF ASSEMBLIES, which are given from one Shepherd," Eccl. xii. 10, 11.

We wish much that every one who asks a Christian, whether clergyman or layman, to speak on one of these interesting occasions, would have the faithfulness to say to him, "Remember, dear and honoured sir,-my learned, or noble, or reverend, or right reverend brother (as the case may be), that you are called upon to plead the cause of a society whose great object is, that the blessed Redeemer may see of the travail of His soul, and be satisfied. You are to speak on an occasion that occurs but once a-year: you may never have the opportunity again. You will have before you three or four thousand immortal mortals, many of them young persons, or young and unestablished Christians, whom you may never meet again, never again have an opportunity of addressing, till you and they shall stand together before the judgment-seat of Christ, to see, with your own eyes, that great white

throne, and Him that sits thereon; from whose face the earth and the heaven shall fly away, and no place shall be found for them. Then you must give account of what you have said, and they must give account of that which they have heard. Ought you not then to strive, to the very utmost of your power, to say something which is calculated, with the blessing of the Lord, to do them real and lasting good? Should you not take care to have ready for the occasion some words like goads, and which shall be like nails fastened in a sure place, so as never to be forgotten?"

The same observations will apply, substantially at least, to all those who go forth into different parts of the country to plead the cause of our various religious societies. We can assure them that much is expected of them; and, if they do not take good care to leave some spiritual blessing behind them, wherever they go, remarks are made upon them (and will and must be made), which are not only to their disadvantage, but to the disadvantage of the societies which they advocate. The chief instrumentality by which, in these days and in this country, the communion of saints is to be maintained, the standard of sound doctrine, and of vital godliliness and evangelical holiness upheld, and the blessings of which one portion of the Church partakes communicated to other portions, is to be sought and found in the agency, by means of which different societies seek to promote among their auxiliaries and associations the great objects for which they are formed. Very great, therefore, is the responsibility which rests upon them to follow out in earnest the apostolic precept, 2 Tim. iv. 1—5.

T. A.

To the Editor of the Christian Guardian. SIR,-The ultra section of the Tractarian party, with their accustomed dishonesty, charge latitudinarianism upon all who refuse to receive their Romish system; and as this term conveys to the minds of the unreflecting (a large mass) the idea of indifference to all religion, it is of great importance that correct views upon the subject should be enforced.

Religion, as revealed to us in holy Scripture, consists of two parts: the first,-purely spiritual,-the doctrines to be believed, and made the Christian's daily life and practice; the second,-what may be termed the material part, the organization through which spiritual life is sustained, and the Gospel extended to the nations;-in this are included, the ordinances, the discipline, and the frame-work of the Church. The former, the spiritual, is explicitly and finally laid down in the New Testament beyond all cavil and doubt; but whilst the general principles of the latter are enunciated, an authoritative code of governance is not presented to us.

The true idea of mutual toleration appears to be, (that whereon but little is said, and that little may be differently understood, and upon such subjects as are confessedly in themselves but "means to an end,") that as wide and comprehensive a basis as possible should be allowed, in so far as it does not mar the beauty of the unity of the whole, or the symmetry of its fair proportions. Such a course is alike dictated by sound policy, and the example of the Church in the apostolic age. The Apostles, ever watchfully jealous over the purity of the faith,-repeating warning upon warning, of false doctrines, and false teachers "teaching another Gospel," -yet, upon certain subjects, exercised a very large forbearance to the

opinions, nay, the prejudices of the brethren. The observance of days, abstinence from certain meats, circumcision;-these, and similar, were the topics which agitated the Church in its first and best age. And what said the inspired Apostles? He who doeth those things, doeth them unto the Lord, and he who keepeth them not, keepeth them not equally unto the Lord. Dr. Pusey, and his followers, call this Latitudinarianism; but it is that of the Apostles, whose successors, "par excellence," they proclaim themselves to be.

In later times, the Apostles' injunctions have been well nigh reversed; where they "forbeared to tread,' others "rushed in." Take our own Church as an example; not that she has erred in this respect more grievously than others, but because her well being and doing more immediately concerns ourselves.

At the time of the Reformation, the Church of England bid fair to encircle in her arms England's Protestant people; but shortly dissensions arose, and such was the temper of the times, that pertinacity on one side engendered tyranny on the other; the authorities, lording it over God's heritage, attempted to carry matters with unbending rigour, and, had their intellects not been blinded by infatuation, they had clearly seen the result, which we at this day have to mourn over and lament. For want of moderate councils, the Church of England (whose genius was peculiarly suited to the English people, whilst her foundations, being the pure word of God, must have struck deeper and deeper in the affections of the people) lost her hold, which she has not yet regained. But the same causes being now in active operation, produce the like results.

Thousands have been driven into Dissent, against their convictions and affections, merely by the wording of

a ritual, which might, without forcing the conscience of any one, be so altered as to afford them relief.

matters.

When suggestions of this kind have been made, they have been attempted to be answered by the assertion, that the formularies of the Church would then be of ambiguous meaning. To this we plead, as we think we have shewn, the Apostles' practice,-unity in the faith, diversities in secondary The objection comes, however, with especial bad grace from the Tractarians, for in the Episcopal Church of Scotland, which they hold up as their "beau ideal" of a Church, two distinct offices are permitted for the Communion Service. But whilst they are candidly silent on this, they are loud in their condemnations, when a proposal is made to admit a few words as a double form. Dr. M'Neile, a few years ago, suggested that certain passages (very few in number) should be placed within brackets;this moderate re-arrangement,-alteration it cannot be called,-is met

by a factious cry, "Latitudinarian

ism."

A glorious path lies open to the Protestants and true Churchmen of the present day. It is the path of duty; not of duty only, but of safety. The end thereof is the salvation of our Church. The requisites of the enterprize are, union amongst all shades of Evangelical and Protestant Churchmen; undaunted courage, prudence, and brotherly love. With these, and, above all, a prayerful spirit and entire reliance upon the Head of the Church, the Church of England may again become what she is now only in name, The Church of the people; carry the tidings of salvation to nations yet unborn; plant her apostolic government, and bless with her all but inspired liturgy, other Churches and other lands. 66 'May the Lord hasten it, in His own time." Yours truly,

H. F.

To the Editor.

Dear Sir,-Can any of your readers furnish any information as to who Diotrephes was? From his loving "the pre-eminence," but also possessing power to "cast out of the Church," (3 John ver. 10,) it would seem probable that he was a Christian bishop, who opposed himself even to the Apostle John (ver. 9.) It is to

be feared that the character of Diotrephes is not extinct in the English Episcopate of the nineteenth century.

In the second epistle of St. John, ver. 7. should not epxoμevov, be rather translated, "is coming" than "is come"? (see Matt. xi. 3.) If so, it would decisively condemn the Swedenborgians.

We have lately heard much in your little work of revising the liturgy.

I would also invite attention to another desideratum, viz., a revision of our authorized version of the Bible. The learned Bishop, R. Gray (of Bristol) in the concluding pages (pp. 2325,) of the "Introduction " to his valuable "Key to the Old Testament," decidedly advocates it, as does also the present Bishop of St. Asaph, (Dr. T. V. Short,) in his " History of the Church of England," (s. 540.) Bishop Short is also a decided wisher for some changes in the Liturgy, (see s. 676, 749, 808, and 810.

I remain dear Sir, yours truly,
PHILECCLESIA.

GENUINE AND SPURIOUS RELIGION: A Compendious, Scriptural, and Consecutive View of the Origin, Development, and Character of Different Systems of Belief. By the REV. JOHN MUHLEISEN, late Agent of the Church Missionary Society for Africa and the East, Corresponding Member of the Egyptian Literary Association, &c. pp.760.2 vols. 8vo. J.H.Jackson. "WHAT is truth?" From the first moment that our great progenitor fell from the high and lofty estate in which he was originally created, has this all-important question occupied the mind of man. Whether luxuriating in all the delights of refined civilization, or plunged into the lowest depths of savage barbarity, man is continually searching for "the truth;" for that knowledge which will enable him to contemplate the mysterious future with hope; to anticipate the destiny that awaits him beyond the grave without alarm. To this inextinguishable thirst for truth, all spurious forms of belief, all spurious systems of religion, are attributable. Unaided by the light of Divine revelation, unguided by the bright effulgence of Divine wisdom, the mind of man wandered into a labyrinth of error, and, according to the varying influences of varying climes and circumstances, erected for himself some standard of truth, however erroneous; some shrine, however superstitious, at which he might worship. The refined Pagan offered up his orisons in gorgeous temples devoted to a host of imaginary gods; the untutored savage prostrated himself before the beast that perisheth: both animated by the same principle, the same feelings, the same aspirations. Throughout all ages has that vast portion of the great family of man which has not been blessed with the light of Divine revelation, been groping, amidst profound darkness, after that knowledge which might inspire them with a better hope than this world could afford; and no na

tion has ever yet been discovered which had not some kind of religion; some form of worship, some expression of their hopes and fears with regard to an imperishable futurity, Buried, almost lost, as the celestial gem of Divine truth has frequently been, amidst the chaotic confusion of spurious creeds, it has yet never been wholly extinguished. And it is a knowledge of this fact, (the authenticity of which the author of these volumes proves beyond the possibility of doubt, if proof were wanting,) which should ever afford the strongest encouragement, the most powerful incentive, to the Christian of every denomination, to persevere without ceasing in his efforts to evangelize the Pagan world.

"The Pagan world seeks after the unknown God, who hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth; and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation, that they might seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him.' (Acts xvii.) In watching the working of the Pagan mind in its strenuous efforts to seek the

living amongst the dead,' is it not as if

we did catch the accent of that beautiful

prayer of one of the Christian saints: Tu fecisti nos ad te, et inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te. Quies apud te est valde et vita imperturbabilis !' Paganism did 'grope after God,' according to the original; but further we cannot go, and more we cannot say upon the subject. Paganism did not find him, because it sought amiss. It commenced with uncertainty, it proceeded, 'groping' Yet notwithstanding this melancholy feain darkness, and ended with confusion. ture in spurious Religion, it is natural that we should discover solitary truths in a disfigured and mutilated condition, which indicate a noble descent, and tell the tale of a very doleful and melancholy wreck."

The work before us is an invaluable addition to our religious and theological literature. It is replete with interesting matter, and it is the result of the personal observations and investigations of a powerful mind,—a