founders of our church were equally con- cellent model which served to give the exspicuous in the whole of their proceedings; never strenuously contending for any points, not even in that summary of Christian doctrines, which was to be the established standard, but for such as affected the grand foundations of faith, hope and charity.

ample of useful and practical preaching. In this most important particular, and in that of deep and conclusive reasoning, we may assign the decided superiority to English dívines, above all those of the continent, though the latter may perhaps, in some instances, How honourable to our reformers, and to dispute with them the palm of eloquence. the glorious work in which they so success- From divines of the above character, hapfully laboured, that in the very first forma-pily never wanting in any age, our national tion of the English church, that care to dis-establishment has ever derived its best tinguish between essentials and non-essen- strength at home, and its honour and credit tials should be so strictly exercised, which in foreign countries. These have made the the brightest philosophical luminary in his Anglican church looked up to by all the own, or perhaps in any age, some years after, churches of the reformation. Their learnso strongly recommended, and so beautifully ing has been respected, their wisdom has illustrated. We see Moses,' says lord Ba- been esteemed, their liberality has been lovcon, when he saw the Israelite and the ed and honoured, their piety has been reEgyptian fight, he did not say, why strive ye? vered, by all of every protestant communion but drew his sword and slew the Egyptian. who were capable of discerning and improBut when he saw two Israelites fight, heving excellence; nay, even in the Romish said, you are brethren, why strive you? If communion, they have sometimes excited a the point of doctrine be an Egyptian, it must degree of estimation, which nothing could be slain by the sword of the spirit; but if it have called forth but the most indisputable be an Israelite, though in the wrong, then superiority. why strive you? We see of the fundamen- But, it is not only in the clerical order that tal points Christ penneth the league thus: the kindly influences of the English estahe that is not against us is for us. But of blishment have been manifest; they appear points not fundamental thus, he that is not in the brightest point of view, in those illusagainst us is with us. trious laymen whose labours have contribuTo the eternal praise then of our refor-ted not less to raise the British name, than mers, as well as with the deepest gratitude the achievements, unexampled as they have to God, be it said, that in their concern for been, of our armies or our navies. On acmatters of faith, in which concern they yield- count of these men, we have been termed by ed to none of their contemporaries, they in- foreigners, a nation of philosophers; and, termingled a charity in which they have ex- for the sake of their writings, English has celled them all. And, in consequence of become not so much a fashionable as, what this radical and truly Christian liberality, a is far more honourable, a kind of learned noble spirit of tolerance has ever been the language in almost every country in Europe. charactertic of genuine Church of England Yet, in no writers upon earth, has a sense of divines: of those, I mean who have cordial-religion been more evidently the very keyly agreed with the first reformers, and wish- stone of their excellence. This it is which ed no deviation from their principles, either gives them that sobriety of mind, that intelin doctrine or in worship; desiring neither lectual conscientiousness, that penetrating to add to, nor diminish, the comely order pursuit, not of subtlety, but of truth; that which they had established in the public ser- decorous dignity of language, that cordiality vice; nor to be dogmatical where they had as well as sublimity of moral sentiment and been enlarged; nor relaxed where they had expression, which have procured for them, been explicit yet ready at all times to in- not merely the suffrage of the understanddulge the prejudices of their weaker breth- ing, but the tribute of the heart. ren, and to grant to others that freedom of thought, of which, in their own case, they so fully understood the value. Our first reformers were men of eminent piety, and, happily for the interests of genuine religion far less engaged in controversy than the divines of the continent. Even those of their own nation, who differed from them in lesser points, and with whom they did debate, were men of piety also, and entirely agreed with them in doctrines. Hence, the strain of preaching in our Church of England divines, became less polemical and more pious and practical, than that of the clergy of other churches. To this end the book of Homilies was highly conducive, being an ex• Lord Bacon on the Advancement of Learning, book second.

And let it be attentively inquired, how they came by this rare qualification? how it happened, that in them, so much more strikingly than in the learned and philosophical of perhaps any other nation, increase of knowledge did not generate scepticism, nor the consciousness of their mental strength inspire them with contempt for the region of their country? Was it not, that that religion was so modified, as equally to endear itself to the vivid sensibility of youth, the quick intelligence of manhood, the matured reflection of age and wisdom? That it did not, on the one hand conceal the beauty and weaken the sense of vital truth, by cumbrous and unnecessary adjuncts;— nor on the other hand, withhold from it that graceful drapery, without which, in almost

all instances, the imagination, as it were, in- its supreme head on earth! How important stinctively, refuses to perform its appro- is it, that the prince, charged with such unpriate function of conveying truth to the exampled trust, should feel its weight, heart! And further, have not the above should understand its grand peculiarities, invaluable effects been owing to this also, and be habitually impressed with his own that the inherent spirit of christian tolerance, unparalleled responsibility. To misemploy, which has been described as distinguishing in any instances, the prerogative which this our communion from every other national trust conveys, is to lessen the stability, and communion in the world, by allowing to cotnteract the usefulness of the fairest and their minds every just claim, has taken the most beneficial of all the visible fabrics, best possible method of preventing intellec- erected in this lower world! But what an tual licentiousness? In fine, to what other account would that prince, or that minister causes than those just stated, can we ascribe have to render, who should sytematically it, that this country above all others, has debase this little less than divine institution, been the seat of philosophy, unbounded in its by deliberately consulting, not how the researches, yet modest in its assumptions, Church of England may be kept high in and temperate in its conclusions ?-Of lite- public opinion, influential on public morals, rary knowledge, not only patiently pursued, venerable through the meek yet manly and profoundly explored, but wisely diges- wisdom, the unaffected yet unblemished ted and usefully applied?-Of religion, in purity, the energetic yet liberal zeal of its its most rational, most, influential, most clergy;-but, how it may be made subserchristian shape and character;-not the vient to the trivial and temporary interests dreary labour of superstition, not the wild of the prevalent party, and the passing hour? delirium of fanaticism, but the infallible guide of reason, the invincible guard of virtue, the enjoyment of present peace, and the assurance of future happiness?

Besides the distribution of dignities, and the great indirect influence which this affords the prince, in the disposal of a vast body of preferment; his wisdom and tenderness of conscience will be manifested also in the appointment of the chancellor, whose church patronage is immense. And in the discharge of that most important trust, the appointment of the highest dignitaries, the monarch will not forget, that his responsibility is proportionably the more awful, because she exercise of his power is less likely to be controuled, and his judgment to be thwarted, than may often happen in the case of his political servants.

But whatever providential causes have hitherto contributed among us to restrain infidelity and profaneness, have we no reason to fear that their operations are growing less and less powerful? And should we not bear in mind, that it is not the form of our church establishment, incomparable as that is, which can alone arrest the progress of danger, if there should arise any declension of zeal in supporting its best interests, if ever there should be found any lack of knowledge for zeal to work with. The character also Nor will it, it is presumed, be deemed imof the reigning prince will always have a pertinent to remark, that the just adminispowerful effect either in retarding or acce-tration of this peculiar power may be reasonferating the evil. ably expected as much, we had almost said One of our most able writers on history even more, from a female, than from a moand civil society, is perpetually inculcating narch of the other sex. The bishops chosen that no political constitution, no laws, no by those three judicious queens, Elizabeth, provision made by former ages, can ever se- Mary, and Caroline, were generally recure the actual enjoyment of political happi-markable for their piety and learning. And ness and liberty, if there be not a zeal among let not the writer be suspected of flattering the living for the furtherance of these ob- either the queen or the bishop by observing, jects. Laws will be misconstrued and fall that among the wisdom and abilities which into oblivion and ancient maxims will be su- now adorn the bench, a living prelate high perseded, if the attention of the existing ge-in dignity, in talents, and in Christian virneration be not alive to the subject.

Surely it may be said, at least with equal truth, that no excellence of our religious establishment, no orthodoxy in our articles, no, nor even that liturgy on whose excellences we have delighted to expatiate, can secure the maintenance of true religion, but in proportion as the religious spirit is maintained in our clergy; in proportion as it is diffused among the people; in proportion as it is encouraged from the throne.

If such then be the value, and such the results of the English ecclesiastical establishment, how high is the destiny of that personage whom the laws of England recognize as • Ferguson.

tues, is said to have owed his situation to the discerning eye of his present majesty.

What an ancient cannon, cited by the judicious Hooker, suggests to bishops on the subject of preferment is equally applicable to kings.—It expressly forbiddeth them to be led by human affection in bestowing the things of God.*

CHAP. XXXVIII. Superintendence of Providence manifested in the local circumstances and in the civil and religious history of England. AMONG the various subjects on which the • The Ecclesiastical Polity.

mind of the royal pupil should be exercised, | ences has been derived, operating, and still there is none more appropriate, than that to operate on individuals-communities which might, perhaps, be most fitly denominations, in ways, and with effects, the hapnated, the providential History of England.piest, or most awful, as they are embraced That it has not hitherto engaged attention, or rejected; and leading to results, not to be in any degree suitable to its importance, is calculated even as to this world, but wholly much more any apology for its being, in the inconceivable, as to that future world where present instance, specially adverted to, than all the deep purposes of God are to have reason for its being any longer neglected. their perfect consummation. The marks of divine interference, in the. But, if such has been the method of Provigeneral arrangement of states and empires, dence in those great designs, which have are rendered so luminous by the rays which heretofore been carried on in the world, can Scripture prophecy has shed upon them, as we suppose that the same plan is not subto strike every mind which is at once atten- stantially pursued in his present arrangetive and candid, with a force not to be resist-ments? Are not blessings still to be confered. But, while this indiputable truth leads red on society? Blessings, yet in general us necessarily to infer, that a like superin- unknown, and greater measures of those tendance to that which is over the whole, which are already in part attained?-How acts likewise respecting all the separate rare, for example, has been hitherto the parts; the actual tracing this superintend-blessing of complete civil government-of ence, in the occurrences of particular na- such a political system, as combines the aptions, must, in general, be a matter of diffi-parent contrarieties of public security with culty and doubt, as that light of prophecy, personal liberty! An object aimed at by the which fails so brightly on the central dome wisest legislators of earlier times, but reof the temple, cannot reasonably be hoped garded by them as a beautiful theory, incafor, when we turn into the lateral recesses.pable of being realized! Still more-How There are instances, however, in which limited is the attainment of religious truth God's providential works shine so clearly of well weighed, well-digested religious be'by their own radient light,' as to demon-lief-und of well-conceived, well-regulated strate the hand which fashioned, and the divine worship! Christianity exists in the skill which arranged them. And though Scripture, like virgin gold in the mine; but others are of a more doubtful nature; yet, how few, comparatively, have been able to when the attainments of any one particular extract it without loss, or to bring it into nation become matter of general influence, public circulation without deplorable alloy ! so that what was, at first, the fruit of mere- How erroneous, in most instances, are those ly local labour, or the effect of a peculiar modes and exercises of it, which are adoptcombination of local circumstances, be-ed by states and governments; and how comes from its obvious utility or intrinsic excellence an object to other surrounding countries, and grows at length into an universal benefit;-in such a distinction, we can hardly forbear to trace something so like a consistent plan of operations that the duty of observing and acknowledging it, seems incumbent on such communities as If there be then a country, long and sigappear to have been thus signally favoured.nally distinguished in both these important What advantage, for instance; has the instances-in the former, so as to have been whole civilized world derived from the phi-the object of universal admiration;-in the losophizing turn of the ancient Greeks!latter, so as to have been looked up to by all How widely extensive, and how durable has the most enlightened parts of the christian been its influence. world. If there be such a country, can we Of what importance are the benefits, help regarding its superiority to other counwhich the politic spirit of the Roman empire tries as the result of a providential destinadiffused among the countries of Europe, tion, as clear as that which allotted philosomost of which, to this day, acknowledge the phy to ancient Greece, and civil polity to anhand that reared them from barbarism, by cient Rome ?-And may it not even be addstill retaining those laws which that hand ed, as really divine, though not miraculous, transcribed for them, as if Rome were allow-as that which gave true religion to ancient ed to do that for men's circumstances, which Judea. Greece was permitted to effect for their minds!

But a third instance is encumbered with less difficulty, the designation of Judea to be the local source of true religion. In this small province of the Roman empire, what a scene was transacted, and from those transactions, what a series of consequences have followed, and what a system of inilu

seldom does it seem rightly apprehended, even by the most enlightened individuals! To suppose things will always remain in this state, is little short of an imputation on divine wisdom. But, in the mean time, how disastrous are the consequences to individuals and to society!

If England be this community, it England be the single nation upon earth,-where that checked and balanced government,-that temperament of monarchic, aristocratic, and popular rule, which philosophic statesmen, in ancient times, admired so much in theory, has been actually realized-If it be also distinguished by a temperament in religious concerns little less peculiar, is not

every thinking member of such a commu-bours. It was that goodness which made us nity bound to acknowledge with deepest an island, that laid the foundation of our nagratitude, so extraordinary a distinction?tional happiness. It was by placing us in And what employment of thought can be more interesting, than to trace the providential means by which such unexampled benefits and blessings have been conferred upon our country!

the midst of the waters that the Almighty prepared our country for these providential uses to which it has served and is yet to serve in the great scheme of his dispensations. Thus, then, we behold cuiselves To enter at large into so vast a subject, raised as a nation above all the nations of would be an impracticable attempt, on such the earth by that very crcumstance which an occasion as the present. It would itself made our country be regarded, two thoufurnish materials for a volume rather than sand years ag, only as a receptacle for the for a few pages; and to treat it with justice refuse of the Roman empire ! would be a task, to which the best informed | To this, evidently, it has been owing, that and profoundest mind would alone be compe- amongst us, the progress of society, from tent. A few scattered observations, there-barbarianism to high improvement, has not fore, are all that we can pretend to offer, only been more regular, but more radical not however without hope, that they wil and entire, as to all the portions and circumexcite to a deeper and more extended in-stances of the body politic, than in any investigation. We are told by St. Paul, that stance with which we are acquainted. Shut 'he who made of one blood all nations, fixed indrom those desolating blasts of war which not only the time before appointed (the have ever and anoň been sweeping the conepochs of their rise and fall) but also the tinent, the culture of our moral soil has been bounds of their habitation.' The result of less impeded, and the seeds which have this created arrangement, respecting the been sown have yielded ampler, as well as greater divisions of the earth, Europe, Asia, maturer harvests. We have had our vicisand Africa, separated, yet connected by studes-but in a manner peculiar to ourthat inland ocean the Mediterranean Sea, selves. They seem clearly providential, have been already noticed. But, nothing and not fortuitous; since it is certain that has been more pregnant in its consequences the agitations which we have experienced, in this general plan than the insulated situa- and the apparent calamities which we have tion of Great Britain, with respect to our suffered have been, in almost every instance, national circumstances.-If we are at this signally conducive to our advancement. day free, while so many neighbouring ma- When England became possessed by the tions are enslaved.-If we stand, erect while Saxons, she appeared only to be sharing the they are trampled on-let us not entirely fate of other European countries; all of attribute it to any superiority in ourselves, which, about that period, or soon after, beof spirit, of wisdom, or strength; but let us came the prey of similar hordes of invaders, also humbly and gratefully ascribe it to that But a difference of result. in our particular appointment of the Creator, which divided instance, arising chiefly from our insular us from the continent of Europe. Had we situation, after some time, presents itself to been as accessible to the arms of France, as us, as already marking that happy destinaHolland, Switzerland, or the Austrian Nc- tion with which Providence intended to fatherlands, we might perhaps have been in-vcur us.

volved in the same calamities. But we can- It has been observed by historians, that not stop here. The entire series of our his- when an army of those northern invaders tory, as a nation, seems in a great measure took possession of any country, they formto have been derived from this source; and ed their establishment with a view of selfevery link in the chain of our fortune bears defence, much more than to civil improvesome significant mark of our local peculi ri-ment. They knew not how suddenly they ty. Without this, where would have been might be attacked by some successful army our commercial opulence or our maritime of adventurers; and therefore says Dr. power? If we had not been distinct as a Robertson, a feudal kingdom rescibles a country we had not been distinct as a people. We might have imbibed the taints, been moulded by the manners, and immerged in the greatness of our more powerful neigh•The train of thought pursued in this and the fol.

lowing chapter, as well as some of the thoughts them

selves, both here, and in one or two former passages,

may perhaps be recognised by the Rev. and learned Doctor Miller, late fellow of Trinity College, Dublin,

as akin to those views of providential history, which he
has given in a course of lectures in that college. The

author gladly acknowledges having received, through a
friend, a few valuable hints from this source, of which
it is earnestly boped the public may in due time be put
in full possession.
VOL. II.
16

military establishment, rather than a civil institution.' "Such a policy,' adds the same historian, was well calculated for defence, against the assaults of any foreign Power; but its provisions for the interior order and tranquility of society, was exorder and corruption being discernible in tremely defective; the principles of disthat constitution under its best and most perfect form.'

To this feudal system,' however, the newly established potentates of the continent seem to have been impelled by necessity; Robertson's View of the State of Europe, prefixed to Charles V. Sect. 1.

1

but an inevitable consequence was, that that taste for liberty, which had animated their followers in their native forests, could no longer be cherished, and was of course doomed to extinction.

the other hand, had Alfred lived without his appropriate sphere of action, he would no doubt have been a successful warrior, a gracious prince, and clearly, as far as the state of men's minds admitted, a friend to letters, and such rude arts as were then in use; but he would not have been venerated, at the distance of a thousand years as the founder of the best scheme of laws, and the happiest system of government, that the world ever saw. Such a correspondence, then, of so distinguished an agent to so apt a sphere of action, and attended with results so permanent, so beneficial, and so widely influential on human society, was surely far above fortuitous coincidence. Was it not, on the contrary, an adaptation so self-evident, as can only be ascribed to the special interference of overruling Providence?

In Britain alone such a necessity did not exist. The possession of the country being once accomplished, its tenure was comparatively secured by the surrounding ocean. Defence was not to be neglected; but danger was not imminent. Thus no new habit was forced on the new settlers, so as to expel their original propensities; and accordingly whatever means of safety they might have resorted to against each other, during the multiplicity of these governments, we see at the distance of four centuries, Alfred, turning from successful warfare against invaders, to exercise that consummate wisdom, with which his mind was enriched, in syste- It is true, that, by the Norman conquest, matizing those very aboriginal principles of the benefits derived from this wise and hapSaxon liberty. A civil polity was thus erect-py establishment appeared for the time ed, which was not only in its day the most overwhelmed by a threefold tyranny,-reperfect scheme of government that had yet gal, feudal, and ecclesiastical. But this, on existed, but it also was formed of such mate- an attentive view, will appear no less to rials, and established on such a solid founda- have been over-ruled for good. To repress tion, as never after to be wholly demolished; for the purpose of excitement, and to emuntil at length, it has been gradually wrought ploy gross admixtures, in order to higher into that magnificent fabric, which, through purification, are procedures congruous with the blessing of heaven, is at this day the glo- all the laws of nature. ry and the defence of our island.

In a constitution formed in so dark an age, In these rudiments, then, of the first En- and adapted to so rude a people, there glish constitution, let us gratefully recognize could be little more than the crude elements the first most striking indication of a par- of such a political system, as more advanced ticular providence presiding over our coun- times would require. Yet had the enjoytry. A genius, the first of his age, is raised ment of those earlier privileges remained in a remote and insulated part of Europe,- undisturbed, nothing better might have been where, at first view, it might be thought his aimed at ! and instead of that progressive talents must be destitute of their proper advance, with which we have been blessed, sphere of action. But in what other Euro- our nation might, at this day, have only been pean country could his enlarged views have distinguished by a blind and stupid attachbeen in any adequate degree realized?— ment to some obsolete forms of liberty, from Where the feudal government was establish- which all substantial worth had long since ed, such wise and liberal arrangements as departed. For the prevention of such an those of Alfred were necessarily precluded; evil, human foresight could make no provi at least they could not have been intro-sion; and we may now look back with wonduced, without stripping such a government der, on the wisdom, as well as efficacy of of its essential characters; Alfred's system the process. The original plan was guarded being as strictly civil, as the other was mili- by the same gracious hand, until the habits tary. He provided sufficiently for external induced by it were fixed in the minds of safety, but it was internal security and tran- Englishmen;-then it was suspended, that quility to which his exquisite policy was peculiarly directed. And from its correspondence with right reason, with the native spirit of the people, and with the local circumstances of the country, it so rooted itself in the English soil, as to out-live all the storms of civil discord, as well as the long winter of the Norman tyranny.

they might struggle to regain it; and by the activity thus excited, and more and more elicited by new competitions, they might at length attain to the highest civil and political happiness, which has been enjoyed in this imperfect state of being.

But on a yet more enlarged view of our national progress, shall we not be led to conIs it not then remarkable that, when such clude, that something more than the improvea concurrence of favourable circumstances ment of our political constitution was in the existed in that very sequestred spot should design of Providence, when the Norman arise an individual, so precisely fitted to turn dynasty became possessed of the throne? them to, what appears, their allotted pur- A far more important reformation, than that pose? Had there not been an Alfred to ac- of human laws, or political systems was at complish the work, all these capabilities length to take place. And in this great ecmight soon have vanished, and our national clesiastical revolution, England was intenhappiness never have been realized. On ded to act a conspicuous part. For this, even