The rest of our creation
Our great Redeemer did remove

With the same shake, which at his passion
Did the earth and all things with it move.
As Sampson bore the doors away,

Christ's hands, tho' nail'd, wrought our salvation,
And did unhinge that day.

The brightness of that day
We sullied by our foul offence:
Wherefore that robe we cast away,

Having a new at His expense;

Whose drops of blood paid the full price,

That was requir'd to make us gay,
And fit for paradise.

Thou art a day of mirth :

And where the week-days trail on ground,
Thy flight is higher, as thy birth:
O let me take thee at the bound,
Leaping with thee from seven to seven,
Till that we both, being toss'd from earth,
Fly hand in hand to heav'n!

CHRISTMAS.

BY GEORGE HERBERT.

THE shepherds sing, and shall I silent be?
My God, no hymn for thee?

My soul's a shepherd too; a flock it feeds
Of thoughts, and words, and deeds.

The pasture is thy word; the streams thy grace
Enriching all the place.

Shepherd and flock shall sing, and all my powers
Out-sing the daylight hours.

Then we will chide the sun, for letting night

We

Take up his place and right:

e sing one common Lord; wherefore he should Himself the candle hold.

I will go searching, till I find a sun

Shall stay till we have done;

A willing shiner, that shall shine as gladly,
As frost-nipt suns look sadly.

Then we will sing, and shine all our own day,

And one another

pay:

His beams shall cheer my breast, and both so twine,

Till ev'n his beams sing, and my music shine.

ON THE PRINCIPLES AND OBJECT OF THIS

SIR,

MAGAZINE.

TO THE EDITOR.

THE very title of your Magazine suggests to us the principle we should keep in view in these times of feverish and reckless innovation. The platform of Puritanism is a bad basis of Episcopal efficiency; and a Church established in the Scriptural and social gradations of bishop, priest, and deacons, ill bears those adjustments and adaptations, that zeal unbridled by discretion or the guidance of principle would introduce. The age in which we live is one marked by peculiar characteristics; and the real strength of our Church will be shown in its aptness not to follow, but to suit all times. The cords of the tabernacle may be lengthened, but there must be no departure from the pattern. Carry out the Church in its principles, and it will readily adapt itself to the wants of its children. The difficulty of our present situation is to regain the ground that is lost. The principles of church-government have been neglected, its discipline has been lost; and in the hour when the citadel is most threatened, we look round for our arms, and find them rusted and neglected. It is not that we have not the community with us, but the community have been long unaccustomed to identify themselves with the Church; and a loose and vague indifference having crept in, has usurped the place of church-membership. That a deep and increasing interest, in all matters of religious import, whether in doctrine, in discipline, or in practice, is awakened amongst us, may be assumed without argument, as proved by the numerous ways in which the gratification of this interest has been provided for-reviews, magazines, weekly, monthly, quarterly publications, have sprung up amongst us, until it is difficult, in the multitude of names, to understand the principles, or line of policy, that each of these fellow-labourers in the good work they propose to themselves, has taken up. On looking, however, into their pages, there is one thing painfully evident, they are rather the organ of a party in the Church than of the Church itself; and, as such, but too often the cause of disunion and feebleness, instead of strength and energy: they rather tend to keep open than to heal its wounds. In introducing to our Southern-church the organ of its ancient and venerated sister of the North, the existing state of religious publications should be a beacon, to point out the safe and useful course that yet lies comparatively open and untrod. Adopting the standard of Episcopacy, we look for unity of purpose and of principle-no party; but the Church, the ark of all. Investiture, as the organ of the Church, would be the proudest privilege; and from the preceding consideration, it is one still open to any one who will bodly and consistently step forward and take the post it assigns him. Such would be the position I would anxiously call on you to endeavour to occupy. The progress of society is ever assuming new phases, the Church only is the same. An organ of

the Church will watch and take advantage of these, that every thing may be directed to a good end. Believing the Church, with its articles, canons, and liturgy, to be the noblest institution the mercy of God, as his most signal blessing, has bestowed on this people, it must be our endeavour to diffuse far and wide its doctrines, its spirit, and principles. Our most evident means of promoting this is, by inculcating the efficiency of its ministerial labours; and while we admit the passing corruptions, in which the course of time and unfinished reformation have involved it, the attention of the Church should be directed by a friendly hand, to the carrying out that reformation on sound principles, under the spirit of its apostolical fathers. Our endeavours should be to awaken this spirit, and temper the diseased feverishness of the times. Let us not permit questions of such incalculable importance as these, agitated under the name of Church Reform, to be determined as mere questions of finance or faction. We claim for our Church the parentage of our liberties, in which the history of our country will bear us out. Let us, then, rally and unite the true friends of both, and deprecate the pollution of so sacred a cause by faction. The advocates and defenders of the Church sit quiet under the imputation that they are opposed to the progress of truth and liberty, until those who clamorously claim for themselves the title of their vindicators, impute to us an unwillingness to correct the abuses and inefficiency, which every friend of the Church, and a large majority of its ministers, are most anxious to see temperately and judiciously removed.

Whoever looks at our venerable establishment may be easily pardoned in dreading the touch of innovation. The Gothic buttress, the ivy-mantled tower, venerable from age and association, may easily appear too beautiful, too perfect in themselves to admit the improving inquisitiveness of the modern architect; but those who doubt the solidity of the structure forget the spirit that dwells therein. It is our belief that nothing is to be dreaded but the rash violence of man, who may for a time overthrow (if violence on his side be not met by prudence on ours) these beautiful edifices, in which now we delight to worship. But for our Church, we have a building whose maker and builder is God; whose Spirit will not desert his faithful people; and whose truth, as of old time, will ever grow mightily and prevail. It is our strength, that in this truth as its rock, our church is founded. We cannot say we care not what man may do unto it. Too many invaluable interests are involved; too many spiritual deprivations might be endured; but sure we are, that to whatever trials it may be subjected, it will come brighter and purer out of the furnace; that not the smell of fire even will pass over the sound and imperishable principles in which it is established. Strong, then, in this persuasion, let us prepare to meet the storm which evidently darkens over the spiritual world. Resist it we may not, if we would. It may be sent to purge from us whatever hinders the further extension of our blessed Saviour's kingdom. Let us prepare ourselves to meet, nay, to hail it, and in armour of spiritual temperament, endeavour to direct it to the purification of acknowledged imperfections. Let us ever remember that our Church is the refuge and home of all parties, and endeavour to point out to the

rash and inconsiderate, that, as our religion and liberties have grown up and increased together, there can be no enmity between them; but that experience will fully justify us in warning them of the danger, at least to the latter, that must arise from any attempt to dissever them. On the other hand, he who watches (whether in history or in his own time) the progress of society, will see that it is as impossible to arrest change in the political, as it is in the natural body, and that our wisdom is not to oppose, but to temper and direct it. Much of the evil, many of the rash changes which have in different ages marred the most perfect institutions, may be traced, without difficulty, to reckless or selfish opposition to requisite and acknowledged improvement. Let, then, the course of every change be carefully and attentively watched, that the good may be gleaned and the evil averted. There is no danger so great as a sullenly standing still. Every institution, founded on just principles, will admit its adaptation to the altered circumstances of the times; and by keeping constantly those principles in view, we may hope to steer safely through the perilous gulf, which otherwise threatens to wreck us and all we hold sacred. On these principles let us temperately discuss, nay, even advocate such renovations in the outward fabric of our Church, as may enable it to extend more widely and generally the blessings of its communion, and canvass freely and dispassionately any such propositions of amelioration as may be publicly put forth. In our parochial system we have the most perfect means of spiritual instruction that the ingenuity of man can devise. Were the principle of this carried out in all its details, little more could be expected of the Church for the instruction of its children. That in its present state, however, these details are far from perfect, must be by all admitted. I wave, for the present, any endeavour to point out in what manner they may be rendered so. It is far from certain that the great object we have at heart is to be effected by any general measure: so far, at least, we know that much there is to be done that no such measure could reach. The furtherance of this is the peculiar province of a Magazine, through whose pages the communication, from time to time, of such plans, methods, and institutions, whether of a parochial or general nature, as have been found to strengthen and assist the labours of the ministry, would be a most valuable service rendered to the good cause. From such communications and their discussion we might anticipate the most beneficial results; and our brethren, the clergy, as well as those benevolent laymen, whose exertions for the benefit, spiritual and temporal, of the people, honourably distinguish the present age, would be ready, through the pages of a well-conducted Magazine, to communicate the successful result of their individual labours. Thus others may be encouraged to apply their acquired knowledge, and extend the practical usefulness and blessings of the parochial system. By such means many of its local defects may be supplied, or at least some palliative found, until such measures are taken as are calculated to supply the greater deficiencies. At all times, let what measures may be taken by the legislature, there will be ample field for improvement in this inexhaustible field of spiritual exertion. He who has entered into the arduous details of parochial ministry, will be

fully sensible what service may be rendered to the cause by judicious plans and institutions.

I will not close this letter without endeavouring to guard myself against misconstruction. I would propose and press the promotion of all reformation, sound in principle and safe in practice, of the abuses which the progress of time has introduced into the Church, and caused to mar its efficiency; while I would have you as vigorously oppose any proposals, come they whence they may, which militate with the principles of our Establishment, or endanger even its temporary security. The questions that are admissible, are all such as propose or tend to advance the efficiency of the Church. In doctrinal matters I would close the door: there is no room for discussion. The thirty-nine articles of our Church are our creed, in their pure, literal, and Scriptural meaning, explained, if need be, by the Homilies. Avoid, then, any discussion that may affect this safe and Scriptural basis on which our Church so securely rests: while anxious in all your labours for the welfare and strength of this our Zion, consider only, as instruments in the hand of God, how at the same time her tents may be enlarged and her defences strengthened.

I have ventured, sir, on tendering my advice. I consider you as opening out a new and wider field for exertion; and the shoals and quicksands, which have wrecked so many promising vessels, are often best known to the humble but observant peasant of the neighbouring shore. Through these I would have your gallant ship steer boldly and independently, and carry with it the blessings of all; identifying itself with the Church, with the whole body of the faithful, and furthering its great and glorious cause, by strengthening the hands and promoting the efficiency of its ministry.

B.

SIR,

SHUTTLEWORTH ON TRADITION.

TO THE EDITOR.

IF any one wishes for proof of the value and importance of tradition as an aid to the understanding of Scripture, he will find it to his heart's content in Dr. Shuttleworth's late publication, entitled, "Not Tradition, but Scripture;" in which that writer, through wilful disregard of tradition, has been betrayed into the most peremptory denial of the express affirmation of Holy Writ that I ever remember to have met with. He is treating of the service of the holy Eucharist, and seeking to set aside the sacrificial character of that holy sacrament which does not happen to accord with his private judgWith this in view it was not possible for him to put out of sight the character of the feast of the passover, IN WHICH Our Lord instituted our Christian Eucharist. This point he decides in the following manner :—

ment.

I. "The type, or rather the original ordinance from which the

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