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memorable Sermon on the Mount, delivered in the open air, before a vast multitude of anxious listeners? Who can forget that occasion recorded by St. Luke,when the people so pressed upon Him to hear the Word of God, near the lake of Gennesaret, that "He entered into a ship, and taught the people out of the ship"? Nor are these the only records of His open-air preaching. We find from Matt. xiii. 1, 2, that He delivered His celebrated parables of the "Sower,' and the "Tares and Wheat," with several others, before equally large multitudes, assembled on the sea-beach. If we turn also to Luke xii. 1, we shall find that the whole contents of that chapter formed an open-air address. So with the subject matter of the following chapter, from the 25th verse. And there seems little doubt that the two succeeding chapters were added at the same time and place,-embracing, you will observe, several of the most important parables, such as the "Lost Sheep," the "Prodigal Son," and the "Rich Man and Lazarus." Indeed time would fail me to recount all the memorable instances of this kind during the course of our Lord's ministry.

Proofs of the same kind are equally abundant with reference to the ministry of the Apostles. I have no hesitation in maintaining that the celebrated sermon of St. Peter on the day of Pentecost, which converted three thousand souls, was preached in the open air. It was evidently some little time after the disciples had received the gift of the Holy Ghost, because it was not till the fact had been “noised abroad” (Acts ii. 6,) that "the multitude came together." It seems clear then, that during this interval they had left the house where they had been sitting, and entered either the streets or some open part of the city. For where could this vast multitude be collected but in some such place? Is it likely that all the strangers mentioned in verses 9, 10, and 11, heard the wonderful works of God" proclaimed in their own tongue, within the four walls of a room? Common sense forbids us to imagine such a scene of noisy confusion. Every thing

in the chapter is in favour of the contrary opinion. We have therefore no conclusion to draw, but the one, viz., that St. Peter preached his first sermon in the open air. Another remarkable instance is contained in the 16th chapter of the Acts, where we find St. Paul preaching by the river side to a much smaller congregation. And it appears that he was in the habit of doing this. The language of the 13th verse distinctly shews that it was a spot peculiarly reserved for such purposes. Almost immediately following which we have the account of St. Paul's preaching on Mars' Hill, -an event so singularly renowned in the history of the Acts of the Apostles, that I need only mention it to excite attention. Let these instances suffice. No one, I think, who attentively studies them, can fail to be convinced that the Apostles both preached and prayed constantly in the open air, as opportunity was afforded them; and that they did not confine themselves to the Jewish synagogues.

II. Ecclesiastical usage sanctions it. I shall begin with the evidence of early antiquity. We learn from the bistorian Fuller, that in the fifth century, when Germanus and Lussus, two christian bishops, came over to England, "with their constant labours they confirmed the orthodox, and reclaimed the erroneous, preaching openly in the fields and highways. As the king's presence makes a court, so theirs did a church of any place; their congregations being bounded with no other walls than the preacher's voice, and extending as far as he could intelligibly be heard."* same is stated in Gilbert's History of Cornwall, "After this dispute and council had ended, St. German, as a good bishop, resolved, though out of his

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country and diocese, whilst he stayed here, to preach the Gospel publicly; and to that end he caused a pulpit to be set up in an open place at St. Albans, where, on set days, he preached to the multitude there assembled, and first began to handle the doctrine of Pelagius against original sin."

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A PLEA FOR OPEN-AIR PREACHING.

Let us pass now to a later period in our ecclesiastical history. I refer to the preaching at St. Paul's Cross. This was a pulpit formed of wood, mounted upon steps of stone, and covered with lead, in which the most eminent divines were appointed to preach every Sunday in the forenoon. To this place, the court, the mayor and aldermen, and principal citizens, used to resort. The greatest part of the congregation sat in the open air; the king and his train had covered galleries; and the better sort of people, if we may judge from the old prints, were also protected from the injury of the weather; but the far greater part stood exposed in the open air; for which reason the preacher went, in very bad weather, to a place called the Shrouds, a covered space on the side of the church to protect the congregation in inclement seasons. Considerable contributions were raised among the nobility and citizens, to support such preachers as were (as was often the case) called to town from either of the universites. In particular, the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, ordered that every preacher who came from a distance should be freely accommodated, during five days, with sweet and convenient lodgings, fire, candles, and all necessaries; and notice was given by the Bishop of London to the preacher appointed by him, of the place he was to repair to."* The account which Strype gives us of this preaching is very interesting at this particular crisis. "In 1553," he says, among the propositions for the king's council, we find, "Item. Therefore, that order be taken that such as shall preach at Paul's Cross, from henceforth, shall continually from Sunday to Sunday preach there; and also teach and declare to the people, that he that now calleth himself Pope, hath no more authority and jurisdiction, by God's law, within this realm, than any other foreign bishop hath, which is nothing at all; and that such authority as he hath claimed heretofore, hath been only by usurpation, and sufferance of princes of this realm. And that the Bishop of London may Pennant's London, p. 512, 8vo, 1813.

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be bound to suffer none others to preach at St. Paul's Cross, as he will answer, but such as will preach and set forth the same.'

Nor was this a mere occasional practice. In 1547, Latimer preached at St. Paul's Cross three Sundays successively. Nor was it a practice confined to the early period of the Reformation. Pennant speaks of a sermon preached there before King James 1st, on Midlent Sunday, 1620, by John King, Bishop of London. And according to the continuation of Stow's Annals, on the 30th of May, 1630, King Charles 1st, having attended divine service in St. Paul's Cathedral, "went into a narrow room, and heard the sermon at Paule's Crosse."

I mention all these facts, dear brethren, to show you that open-air preaching has been sanctioned in the Church of England by the highest ecclesiastical authorities. There can consequently be nothing which is essentially uncanonical in it. If any of us venture on the work, we may assuredly feel that we are supported in it both by Scripture and Church authority. Why, then, should we delay? Every month we hesitate, souls are dropping off into eternity, which, humanly speaking, are lost, for want of this very movement? Recollect we must meet them at the day of judgment, and give an account before them of our stewardship. Shall we be able, think you then, to hide, under the plea of its being unauthorized? No. A voice will come up from the streets of Jerusalem, and from the Areopagus at Athens, and from St. Paul's Cross in London, telling us to the contrary. will point to His own example, and ask us, Was not this your sanction? Apostles and saints will point to the records of their own past lives, and ask, Were not these your sanction? Oh, for that tender conscience which will make us think of these things in time! Let me at least commend them to your earnest and prayerful attention. [To be continued.]

The Saviour

Strype, Eccles. Mem. vol. i. p. 151. + Idem, vol. ii. p. 71.

DR. HOOK'S REASONS FOR NOT JOINING THE CHURCH OF ROME.

[There is so much of truth and sound common-sense argument brought to bear against the prevailing tendencies to fall away to Rome, in this following enumeration of Romish follies and errors, that although we do not place much confidence in the stability of Dr. Hook's views, yet we readily acquiesce in a valued correspondent's desire to insert them in our columns.—ED.]

THERE is no refuge in the Church of Rome for those who have the fear of God before their eyes, or the love of truth in their hearts.

The question, with respect to the Church of Rome, is not whether it is catholic or not; but whether it be or be not Antichrist. Let it be remembered that some of the most learned and devoted servants of Christ have regarded the Church of Rome as Antichrist. I say not whether they are right or wrong; I only state the fact. To this opinion the Church of England seems in our Homilies to incline. For my own part, I look to the coming of a personal Antichrist; and I also expect that the number of believers-the true Church-will be reduced to a very small number before the final triumph. But, still, with the Church of England, I see much of Antichrist in the Church of Rome, and I think that she will be closely connected with Antichrist when he shall appear. But be this as it may, those who talk lightly of seceding to the Church of Rome, should bear this constantly in mind, that the question to be asked respecting that Church is, whether it has not upon it "the marks of the Beast;" and as many men more holy than they, some even members of the Church of Rome, have expressed their belief that this is the case, it is a very fearful thing to contemplate the possibility of entering into a community which may be Antichrist.

"He," the Pope, representing the system, "ought rather to be called Antichrist, and the successor of the Scribes and Pharisees, than Christ's Vicar, or St. Peter's successor, seeing that not only in this point, but also in other weighty matters of christian religion, in mat. ters of remission and forgiveness of sins, and of salvation, he teacheth so directly against St. Peter and against our Saviour Christ."-Homily on Obedience.

And then, again, when people talk lightly of joining the Church of Rome, I wish they would consider seriously what it is they will have to do. They look with a magnifying glass on every gnat which annoys them in the Church of England, and shut their eyes to the multitude of camels they will have to swallow if they join the Church of Rome.

If they join the Church of Rome, they will have to anathematize all who do not believe that Christ has appointed seven true and proper sacraments, neither more nor less, all conferring grace, and all necessary to salvation; that is, they will have to anathematize not only all members of the Church of England, but all the Fathers of the Church.

They will have to regard, as necessary to salvation, all the ceremonies held in the Romish Church, in the administration of the sacraments, such as spittle and salt in baptism, the holding the sacrament above the priest's head to be adored, the exposing it in the Church to be worshipped by the people; the oil and chrism in confirmation; the anointing of the eyes, ears, noses, and hands of the dying.

They will have to believe that all are damned who are opposed to the observances and constitutions of the Romish Church, such as the celibacy of the clergy; the orders of monks, friars, and nuns; the service of God in an unknown tongue; the saying of a certain number of Ave Marias, by tale upon their beads; the sprinkling of themselves and of the bodies of the dead with holy water; the consecration and incensing of images; and various other observances too numerous to mention.

They will have to accept, on pain

CHURCH MATTERS IN 1641.

of damnation, the figment of transubstantiation, and to believe that the priest offers up his Saviour in the mass, a true, real, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and the dead.

They will have to affirm that those are damned who do not hold, that communion in one kind is sufficient and lawful, notwithstanding the institution of our Lord in both kinds.

They will have to believe in a purgatory after this life, in which the souls of the dead are punished, and from whence they are liberated by the prayers and offerings of the living. They will have to believe that dead men and women whom the Pope has canonized, or shall hereafter canonize, are, or ought to be invocated by religious prayers; and that the images of Christ and the Virgin Mary ought not only to be had and retained, but likewise to be honoured and worshipped.

They will have to receive and hold, under pain of eternal perdition, the power and use of indulgences, as they are now received and practised in the Church of Rome.

They will have to renounce the first and second commandments,-to worship the creature as well as, if not more than, the Creator; and to bow down to wood and stone, the work of men's hands.

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Nay, further, they will have to believe that not only the guilt, but the very essence and being of original sin is removed by baptism. The Church of England declares that this corruption of nature remains even in the regenerate. The Church of Rome has decreed that concupiscence (or full fornes, as it is called) which remains after baptism, has not, properly speaking, the nature of sin; whereas, we affirm that concupiscence has the nature of sin, and allege the authority of an Apostle in support of our opinion.-Bp. Bethel, Preface xvii. Article ix.

We, in common with all Protestants, regard this as a great and fundamental heresy in the Church of Rome, laying the foundation of their grand error, viz., Justification by inherent righteousness.

But we may make the case even stronger. The creeds of the Church of Rome are not merely and simply the old catholic creeds of the old Catholic Church;-the Church of Rome, in 1564, adopted a new creed, many articles of which are directly opposed to the articles of the ancient catholic creeds. See the creed of Pope Pius the Fourth.

Surely, this is sufficient to make us suspect that the Church of Rome has ceased to be catholic since the year 1564. TRUTH AND PEACE.

CHURCH MATTERS IN 1641.

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that means to dispel the cloud that was gathering over the Church. Chalmers in loc. Hacket.

March 12, 1640. A committee for innovations in matters of religion, composed of ten earls, ten bishops, and ten barons. And under their direction, Williams, Bishop of Lincoln, summoned several divines, to give their attention to the subject,the object of the Lords' committee being, "To examine all innovations in doctrine or discipline introduced into the Church without leave, since the Reformation, and probably to examine after that, the degrees and per

fection of the Reformation itself." See Bp. of Lincoln's Letter in Wharton's Life and Times of Laud. p. 174.

This occurred between the period of Williams' liberation from the Tower and his appointment to the archbishopric of York. We find, however, no notice of the committee in either Clarendon, Whitelock, or Wentworth; and Carwithen only notices it very slightly.

This tract appears to be the report of the proceedings of that sub-committee of divines. Printed for the information of the Lords' committee, and not published. It must be a very scarce tract. Events came on too rapidly for any good to arise out of propositions so moderate as these. This modified correction of the Laudean convocation was far behind the temper of either house at that junc

ture.

A Copie of the Proceedings of some worthy and learned Divines, appointed by the Lords to meet at the Bishop of Lincolnes in Westminster: touching Innovations in the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England, together with considerations upon the Common PrayerBook. London: printed 1641.

INNOVATIONS IN DOCTRINE.

1. Quære, Whether in the Twentieth Article these words are not inserted, Habet Ecclesia authoritatem in controversis fidei.

2. It appeares by Stetfords and the approbation of the Licencers, that some do teach and preach, that good works are concauses with faith in the act of justification. Doctor Dove also hath given scandall in that point. 3. Some have preached that works of penance are satisfactory before God.

4. Some have preached, that private confession by particular enumeration of sins is necessary to salvation, necesitate medii, both those errours have been questioned at the consistory at Cambridge.

5. Some have maintained, that the Absolution, which the priest pronounceth, is more then declaratory.

6. Some have published, that there is a proper sacrifice in the Lord's Supper, to exhibit Christ's death in

the postfact, as there was a sacrifice to prefigure in the old law, in the antefact, and therefore that wee have a true altar, and therefore not only metaphorically so called, so Doctor Heylin and others in the last summer's convocation, where also some defended, that the oblation of the elements might hold the nature of the true sacrifice, others the consumption of the elements.

7. Some have introduced prayer for the dead, as Master Browne in his printed sermon, and some have coloured the use of it with questions in Cambridge, and disputed, that preces pro defunctis non supponunt purgatorium.

8. Divers have oppugned certitude of salvation.

9. Some have maintained the lawfullnesse of monasticall vowes.

10. Some have maintained that the Lord's-day is kept meerely by ecclesiasticall constitution, and that the day is changeable.

11. Some have taught as new and dangerous doctrine, that the subjects are to pay any sums of money imposed upon them though without law, nay, contrary to the lawes of the Realme, as Doctor Sybthorp, and Doctor Manwaring Bishop of Saint David's, in their printed sermons, whom many have followed of late yeeres.

12. Some have put scorns upon the two books of Homilies, calling them either popular discourses, or a Doctrine usefull for those times wherein they were set forth.

13. Some have defended the whole grosse substance of Arminianisme, that electio est ex fide prævisa, that the act of conversion depends upon the concurrence of man's free will, that the justified man may fall finally and totally from grace.

14. Some have defended universall grace as imparted as much to reprobates as to the elect, and have proceeded usque ad salutem ethnicorum, which the Church of England hath anathematized.

15. Some have absolutely denyed originall sinne, and so evacuated the crosse of Christ, as in a disputation at Oxen.

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