"It is, unavoidably, difficult to ascertain with any precision the average amount of the value of all ecclesiastical benefices in the kingdom. One of the latest calculations, apparently conducted with considerable care, and proceeding on the surest ground on which such an estimate can be formed, (See Quarterly Review, Vol. XXIX. p. 557.) makes the average value of all the benefices in the kingdom, including the incomes of Bishops, Deans and Chapters, to amount to 3031. per annum; and this calculation, it should be mentioned, affords a higher average than any other which has been given to the public on the authority of specific details. Assuming, then, this average to be not far from the truth; still, when it is remembered, as has been already stated, that it is formed by including the incomes of persons in all the highest stations in the Church; when it is considered further, that every clergyman qualifies himself for the profession by no inconsiderable expence; that his income is a life income; that out of it he must maintain and provide for his family; that many calls of charity are constantly made upon him,

with which his situation makes it often imperative on him to comply; and that he is obliged to sustain a certain outward appearance suited to his station, having often to mix in society with opulent parish ioners; when all this is taken into the account, it surely will not be thought, that the expression I have used is too strong;

viz. that every considerate person will allow the average income provided for the clergy of the church of England, to be below what is suited to their character and situation."

Grounds and Principles of the Church of England, considered in a Charge, delivered to the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of London, May 5, 1824. By Joseph Holden Pott, A. M. Archdeacon of London, and Vicar of St. Martin's in the Fields.

THE grounds and principles on which the Church of England was formed, and which have so remark

ably contributed, under the Divine blessing, to her stability and honour, are at all times worthy of our deepest consideration. "Moderate and equal measures," indeed, "do not appear at first sight to be those which are best calculated to work great effects in sublunary things;" but they are of inestimable value in every grave and difficult undertaking, and especially in the preservation of religion. The founders of our Church understood this principle, and acted upon it with wonderful success. Their moderation, however, did not arise from indifference to the truth; it was the result of an exact and sober judgment carefully avoiding opposite extremes, and discerning with singular felicity whatever was essential to the integrity of the Gospel, and the peace and unity of the Church. These points were steadily maintained; while obscure and doubtful matters, which had been too hastily decided by other Protestants, were wisely left without determination.

This important subject has been admirably discussed and illustrated in the Charge before us. The Archdeacon has selected a topic precisely suited to the exigency of the time, and to his own powers. No man is more profoundly versed in the history of the Church of England; none has a more accurate and com

prehensive knowledge of her character and constitution. We will not, however, indulge our own feelings in expatiating on his high qualifications, or on the service he has rendered to the Church of Christ. He has within his own breast a much greater reward than the praise of men can possibly bestow; and we have the satisfaction of knowing that he is equally beloved and revered by all who come within his influence.

We shall make no apology for laying the greater part of this Charge before our readers, and earnestly recommending it to their attention, as one of the most valuable productions of the Archdeacon's pen,

"Moderate and equal measures may not perhaps appear at first sight to be those which are best calculated to work great effects in sublunary things, or to prevail most in the minds and purposes of men. They who aim at public ends, are accustomed to pursue a different course. They trust for the furtherance of their designs, to collective efforts, urged with vehemence and prosecuted with alacrity and vigour. The strongest impulses are put in force, or the closest arts are called in aid, in order to win over numbers to the side which is espoused, or to retain men by the ties of partial interest in one band. It is easy to perceive that such ways were not followed in the scheme of Providence adopted for the first establishment of the Christian Church, and calculated for maintaining its perpetual subsistence in all lands, or in any single country.

"Let us consider then what were the first terms of union in the Church of Christ. They consisted principally in the never-failing pledge of faith and practice, The sacramental ordinances of that household were prescribed by the same lips which fixed the rule of faith and duty. The forms of ministerial discipline and worship received the sanction also of the same Lord. In conformity to these, the pattern or first model of government and order was completed in the Church of Christ by those who received the first commission at his hand. The care to preserve itself and to perpetuate its functions, without which no public body can subsist, was further strengthened by the gracious promise which declared so plainly that the sustaining arm of Providence should not be wanting for the succour of the flock of Christ, and that the gates of Hell should not prevail against his Church. Sach were the first provisions made for the fellowship and union of believers in all lands." P. 5.

He then proceeds to shew that our Church has always been distinguished by Christian prudence and Christian candour, and has invariably grounded her belief and practice on the Word of God.

"That the British Church, from the first call to the knowledge of the truth, and the first profession of the Gospel, adhered to this acknowledged standard both of faith and practice, in things fixed and invariable in their own essential nature, and of things which may be changed upon sufficient grounds-is plain from the resistance which was made here to the early over.

tures of foreign usurpation. What was the answer which was given to the first attempt upon the privileges of the British Church? When the question was raised concerning matters of authority, and when a right to dictate was asserted in favour of a foreign Head, the answer was distinctly, we owe nothing to our brethren in the faith in distant quarters, but to love one another, and that debt we are ready to discharge. When the question was concerning usage, as about the time of celebrating the solemnities of Easter, and when a different rule from that which had been followed in this country, was prescribed, the answer was still given in the words of the Apostle, we have no such custom. These answers were both temperate and prudent: yet they were succeeded by hostility and bloodshed. But the British Church and its accustomed liberties, survived that storm. After those first abortive efforts had been made, it was long before a foreign yoke was imposed upon believers in this land: and the first struggle for the Reformation in this country, was but a more determined effort following after many which had been before exerted, and which from time to time had marked the spirit of resistance to encroachments which were never tamely suffered. The Statutes of the realm prove this beyond the power of contradiction.

"But the tone of moderation was not changed when that resistance proved at length successful. There was zeal indeed, enough to prompt men to meet and to sustain an arduous contest: and without zeal, in no ordinary measure, it must have proved impossible to face the difficulties of that day of trial: but the movements which were then made by the Guides and Rulers, Civil and Ecclesiastical, in this land, toward the great design of reformation, shew plainly, that there was not only zeal but patience for the work: a patience which could attend the desultory and uncertain humours of one capricious monarch; a patience which, with a step as firm and sober, could accompany the next advances which were made under the kindly influence of a sceptre wielded

by a hand not yet matured in growth, though pledged already to every good and salutary purpose. But the triumph, and the palm of fortitude and patience, were not yet: they followed in the sanguinary reign which recalled the days of martyrdom, and transferred from Pagan scaffolds to those of Christendom, the fire and steel, the rage and horrors of relentless persecution. When that storm was overpast, the sun which went down in that

in successive reigus to counteract this prudent management, and to introduce those doctrines which had been omitted, would, if they had succeeded, have proved a ground of separation beyond any which has subsisted among those who hold the same foundation. If any thing in this world can tend to promote that union for which the best men have expressed their earnest wishes in all ages, it must still be sought in moderate and equal measures; in the temper of a Church which has pursued the line of its hallowed call so steadily, which has preserved its regular and continued ordinations, and which has shewn such caution and indulgence in declaring the settled terms of her communion. Of these terms, we can say without a boast, that the Churches of the Protestant communion in all lands, have testified their full and cordial approbation, and have remonstrated as plainly with the censors and dividers in our own land. Those applauding testimonies have often been collected: they remain a solid evidence of the moderate counsels which prevailed here, and of the favourable circumstances which permitted the retention in this country of that entire and perfect form of government, the want of which, in some chief points, was openly deplored in foreign Churches, and excused upon the hard plea of necessity. "Non sumus adeo felices," was the answer of the President of Dort, when our pattern was proposed to him for the cure of those defects, by a Prelate of our own Church. The plea was accepted with a fair allow ance on our part; with much brotherly regard; and with the pious wish that what was wanting might one day, by Divine favour, be supplied.

"Of those terms of communion which form the bond of public concord in our Church, we can say with truth, that no sober man has ever ventured to pronounce them sinful: although the bare circumstance of a requisite compliance has been unhappily regarded as a burden for the conscience.

"But we cannot treat this subject better than by referring to the grounds upon which the terms themselves were built. Our Church, then, resolves the motives for belief into the testimony of God's sacred word. Where that seal is ascertained most gladly she receives the message, and accepts the written word. Of that word she claims to be a faithful guardian, an authorized and uncorrupted witness, although not an infallible interpreter. They who claim to be infallible, if they hope to convince us, must allow us to judge of the reasons which they bring to REMEMBRANCER, No. 66.

support the challenge; but if we who are to weigh the reasons, are not infallible, we can reach no ground of certainty by such means. It is enough to confirm and settle our belief that the rule itself is sure, and was given by inspiration of God. It is enough for us to know, that if they who spake the word had the promised guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead them into all truth, the same seal of inspiration must have accompanied the written word; unless we can bring ourselves to think that what was to be most permanent and fixed in character, was, against all ground of reason, to bear a warrant less certain and authentic to commend it to the hearts of men, than what was spoken. But if they who unquestionably had the gift of inspiration, and who proved their claim to it by sufficient evidence, may be allowed to speak in their own behalf, they will decide this point; for they tell us plainly that the word was reduced by them to writing, in order that we might know the certainty of such things, and that we might believe *.

"The word of Scripture, then, which indeed is witnessed by the Church, but derives its authority from God alone, forms the solid and unerring basis of our union. As the Church was able from the beginning to ascertain what was Scripture and what was not, and has so formed the Canon, on the evidence and attestation of those first witnesses with whom these oracles were entrusted, we have all the certainty that we can desire, that we possess the written word, although the witnesses themselves distinctly disavowed infallible pretensions, and referred that claim to the Word itself, to which, in all disputed points, they made their appeal. We'receive that Word from those who lived at or near the time of the Apostles; and who were careful above measure in examining the testimony of every Church which had the custody of any portion of the Sacred writings. To which it may be added, that in the first ages more especially, a narrower limit and a closer correspondence rendered it more easy to resist emergent heresies, against which the Church is bound at all times to give her public testimony. Nor does this regard to the testimony of the Church create an undue value for traditionary record. We take indeed all the assistance we can get from the known sense and early usage of the Church; we employ its authorities and precedents for many useful purposes; but we never can consider them as necessary to supply sup posed defects of Scripture. That which is

3 B

* Luke i. 4. John xx. 31.

not consonant to Scripture, cannot be supported by tradition. The rule, "Quod semper, quod ubique, quod ab omnibus," must be content to take its proof from the same Word, if it claim the same authority. "If there were two rules of faith and practice in things necessary to salyation, it would be plain to demonstration, that one of these must be defective, or the other must be needless and superfluous.

"But is it now the rightful influence of that authority for which our Church makes her plea, an authority duly limited, and operating for the common good-is this the claim which is disputed? I shall request your patience to consider with me for awhile the ground of this authority as it is indeed put forward and alleged in our behalf. The first notion then which presents itself of a Church, unless we will take it for a fortuitous assembly, with no fixed and perpetual bond of union, must bear the image and possess the properties of a social body. But no society can subsist without order, rules, and government; and these cannot be without a form of discipline, and a power to decide emergent causes in the last result. Nothing can be so bad as interminable strife; or so hopeless and incurable as divisions arising from opinions which admit of no control, and which acknowledge no regard to any common standard of agreement. The act of believing must be a man's own act, upon the best conviction he can form; but who will say that this judgment should not in any manner be directed by the public voice, and submitted in due measure to the guidance of authority. It is a contradiction to suppose a Church professing to preserve the bond of faith, and yet permitting her members to believe and teach as they think fit.

"But there is another ground of cavil and objection. It is this that the Civil Power concurs to this authority in Christian countries. Will it be said, then, that the State might more properly permit the laws of voluntary combinations or societies, (if we apply that language to the Church) to pass unnoticed; and that it has no fit sanctions to extend for their support? Our answer is, that the testimonies of the Scripture in this respect, and the common right of government in all lands, directly contradict this ground of objection. But we may reply too, that if such associations and their laws should spread throughout the land without notice or restraint, and should exceed their rightful limits, they might soon control the government itself. If speculative errors should arise among them, and prove inju

rious to the public welfare, as in almost every case they will, they might become the sources of incalculable mischief; and therefore they are fit subjects for provisional restraints, and for legitimate control. Will it be said, you must wait, then, for the overt acts of mischief: for what power can control the mind? There is much reason in this plea: but we must remember likewise, that to wait until the tempest rises to its height, and the flood descends, and the torrent spreads on all sides, would be to lose the time for every wise precaution, and to forego the use of moderate and well placed limits. But reverse the view now for a moment. Let such fences be prudently and duly placed; and what then will be the dreaded consequence? It will amount to this, that men will be restrained from things which create offence, or which lead to public injury, and for these surely there can be no plea of lawful liberty. If conscience is still urged, let it be remembered, that if the consciences of men should be so far misled as to induce them to despise all salutary laws, and to cast off all restraints, again the bond of social order may be violated or dissolved: and experience has sufficiently demonstrated, that in some cases men may devour each other for conscience sake, as eagerly as they ever did for the wildest purposes of plunder or ambition,

"The wisdom therefore of our countrymen has framed accordingly those protecting laws, which, without attempting to enslave men's minds, are calculated to prevent the danger which is feared, or to furnish the prompt and timely remedies for mischiefs which may spring up and acquire a baneful influence by neglect and oversight.

"How gladly then, may we regard it as one main source of the peace and security of our own condition as a people, that under the blessing and design of Provi dence, the profession of the faith, which has the Divine Word for its standard, is owned and protected by the laws and constitution of our country." P. 9.

"It is plain, then, within what limits, and upon what just and reasonable grounds, the voice and declarations of our Church have been put forward. They who would abolish this authority, or deprive it of all claim to be considered and revered, should inform us what they are disposed to give us in its stead. Let us weigh this point with care. Shall it be the light within which is preferred? This pretence will serve indeed to lift men at once above the reach of contradiction; but then a man's own word and persuasion must be taken