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of life and death, both teach us to know our end, and dispose our hearts to wisdom. May he give us grace in entering upon a new year, to enter upon a new life, to reform what is amiss, to supply what is wanting, to perfect what is good;

so that when our days shall have been numbered, and our footsteps shall stumble on the dark mountains, we may look backward with joy and forward with hope; and have so passed through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. T. R,

SCRIPTURE CRITICISM.

ON MATT. v. 19.

To the Editor of the Remembrancer. Sir,

It has often excited my surprise, that according to the usual interpretation of the above-mentioned verse of St. Matthew's Gospel; the first part of it is either rendered a contradiction, or we are led to infer that an erring teacher may be greater than the forerunner of Christ, (see Luke vii. 28.)

A learned and valuable friend has referred me to my Greek Testament and Lexicon, which I think you will allow solves the difficulty: Aw according to Schleusner, has the sense of explico, and is iar abon is translated

by him, quicunque recte explicaverit; the word break in the English vermust we not, therefore, understand sion, as meaning to explain? we can then give what I conceive a right interpretation of our Saviour's words," that he who expounds the law of God to the conversion of sinners may have his reward; but that he who shall do and teach, who holds up the perfect law for the guidance of others, and with holy fear lest he himself should be a castaway, turns the weapons of his warfare against his own corruptions, shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Your's, &c.

C.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

Sketches of the Ecclesiastical His. the writings of Collier and Fuller.

tory of England.

No. 1. INTRODUCTION. "THERE are only two writers of the general history of our Church," says Bishop Warburton in his Directions for the Study of Theology, "who deserve the name of historian, Collier the nonjuror, and Fuller the jester." This contemptuous mention of persons whose merits were perceived and acknowledged, is too much in the common style of its extraordinary author, and ought not to prejudice his readers against

He admits that the former wrote with sufficient dignity, elegance, and spirit, and his non-juring attachments were, in reality, his only crime. The latter he regards as having composed with better temper and on better principles, and with sufficient care and attention; but the sarcastic, the petulant, the acrimonious Warburton, could not pardon Fuller's harmless pleasantries; and they are denounced as unsuitable to a grave and important subject.

Nevertheless, the substance of

the Bishop's remark is correct. He had reason to complain of the defective state of the Ecclesiastical History of Great Britain, and no work has appeared since the date of his Directions, which is in any degree calculated to remove his complaint. The theological student is still compelled to wade through the curious but unimportant digressions of Collier, and to surrender his gravity to the witticisms of Fuller, before he can cultivate a closer ac

quaintance with the affairs of the Church, than that which is brought about by our civil historians. And the common reader, whose appetite is satiated and spoiled by the endless novelties of modern literature, has never yet been furnished with such a view of Ecclesiastical events as may instruct without dis. gusting, and interest without deceiving them. Is it not absurd and useless to expect that the volumes which Warburton censured with such unnecessary severity, will ever communicate a knowledge of the progress of Christianity to the great mass of our countrymen? Their information upon other branches of the history of their country, is not derived from the original and con. temporary writers, but from the abridgment which modern authors have supplied. The Ecclesiastical History of Great Britain can hardly be said to have been abridged; and the consequence is that a large proportion, even of well educated men, know nothing concerning the progress of religion in their native country; or have imbibed their little learning from the short and unsatisfactory notices furnished by a Rapin, a Hume, or a Henry: when weary of the details of war, politics, and commerce, they wish to diversify their narrative by moral reflections. Of these three writers, the last, Dr. Henry, is the only one in whom a member of the Church of England has any reason to confide; and the worthy Docter did not possess the

art of adorning his narrative; his work is the fruit of much patient research, and contains many sound and useful observations. But it is not, nor ever can be popular. The plan is fundamentally bad, and the execution is not such as to make amends for the original error. On these joint grounds it may be safely said, that his History of England will never convey general instruction to his countrymen on the ecclesiastical affairs of their nation. Still less is to be expected from Rapin, who takes a decided part against the Clergy, and in favour of the Non-conformist; or from Hume, who with more impartiality sneers at all parties alike. And if that deplorable ignorance upon Church affairs, which has given rise to so many rash speculations and mischievous actions, is ever to come to an end, the change must be effected by a considerable addition to the stock of ecclesiastical information, and by a general habit of resorting to it. The errors of many fashionable opinions might be exposed without serious difficulty, if a foundation could once be laid in a sound knowledge of the past. And the spirit and necessities of the age induce a confident expectation that many years will not elapse before the completion of some undertaking of the sort.

In the hope of contributing to what has been done, or is doing, upon these subjects, it is intended to furnish the readers of the Remembrancer with a series of Sketches of the Ecclesiastical History of Great Britain. A regular and continued narrative would require more room than can be spared for such a purpose; and biography, with all her charms, is apt to give a broken and disjointed view of events, which ought to be contemplated in a regular succession. The middle path, therefore, is the most inviting; and the principal purpose of the present introduction, is to state in

what direction that path will be marked out, and at what rate it will be traversed.

The most important use of Ecclesiastical History, is to exhibit the actual consequences which Christianity has produced in its various stages, and under its various forms. And this cannot be accomplished without taking into consideration the circumstances and character of the people to which it was preached, the purity or corruption with which its doctrines were delivered, and the favourable or unfavourable political occurrences by which its progress was accelerated or retarded. Thus the religion and morals of the original inhabitants of Britain, their grievances and comforts, their principles and their practices, must all be ascertained with considerable accuracy before a fair estimate can be made of the consequences of primitive Christianity. It will also be requisite to take a view of what is signified by primitive Christianity, otherwise it will neither be possible to apply a similar remedy to a similar disease, should the consequence appear to have been beneficial; nor on the other hand, to shun the ancient mode of treatment, and substitute a new one in its place, if it produced a bad effect. And a third subject of enquiry is thus rendered indispensable; we must learn the precise quantum of improvement or deterioration which has followed the preaching of the Gospel; and that portion of each which is attributable to other causes, must be carefully separated from the rest. The state of the inhabitants of this island was materially changed in the interval that elapsed between the Roman and Saxon invasions. Was this, then, on the whole, a change for the better or the worse? and what part of the good is solely referable to civilization, or what part of the evil to luxury and riches?

These are questions which the ecclesiastical historian is bound to elucidate, by the events which

his volumes unfold, and the remarks which his reflection suggests. They recur at every distinguished epoch, and are answered with greater or less precision according to the fulness and fidelity of the contemporary narratives from which the reply is drawn. The first obvious division in the history of British Christianity, consists of the period during which the island was subject to Roman power. And in no part of the whole, is it more difficult to draw satisfactory conclusions. The second extends from the conversion of the Saxons to the establishment of priestly power in England, and of Papal power over both the priesthood and the laity; the third to the Norman Conquest; the fourth to the time of Wickliffe; the fifth to the Reformation. In each of these divisions the actual condition of the general body of the people must be considered, and as far as possible, ascertained. The lessons which were communicated to them under the style and title of Christianity, must be examined, and their comparative and positive merits fixed. The disturbing or accelerating forces which resulted from political interference, must be measured; and the result of the whole summed up.

Nor should the reader be induced, by these remarks, to anticipate a mere series of essays and dissertations. The knowledge which has just been described as the proper end of ecclesiastical history, may be communicated much better by a simple narrative, than by a highly ornamented or closely reasoned treatise. If the principal actors in each successive period are brought forward upon the stage, and suffered to speak for themselves, if their success and their failures are succinctly described, and their influence upon public transactions explained, every purpose of genuine history may be secured, without compelling the common reader to labour through an argument which he is unable or unwilling to master;

or requiring such a sacrifice of time and application, as none but the professed student is at liberty to make.

This, therefore, is the plan which it is now intended to pursue. The readers will be presented in the next, and in each successive Number, with a sketch of some distinct and important portion of British Ecclesiastical History, digested and abridged from standard writers,

and corrected by a careful reference to original authorities. The success of such an enterprize must prove highly gratifying to our numerous friends, and cannot be unimportant to the public at large. Its failure may serve to stimulate abler men to undertake a task, which should never be lost sight of, until it has been adequately completed.

MISCELLANIES.

NEW CHURCH IN KINGSWOOD FOREST.

THE wickedness and gross immorality of the inhabitants of Kingswood Forest, have been for years proverbially notorious, It has been a matter of much surprise, that within so short a distance of the two populous towns of Bath and Bristol, a people should exist very little removed from a state of barbarism. Though various causes may have contributed to this lamentable fact, perhaps it can be traced to none so well as a disregard and profanation of the Sabbath; the want of a resident Minister, and the means of public worship. The long neglected state of this large population, has for years been lamented by every friend to religion and the Establish. ment. Great things were done for this people by Wesley and Whitfield,

whose labours in this extensive field are well known; though the good effects of their institutions, are understood perhaps, by none better than the immediate neighbourhood. But still hundreds, indeed thousands, were a sabbath-day's journey from their parish church at Bitton; and the crowded congregations of the dissenters prevented admission to numbers besides; and very many, seldom if ever, put their feet over the threshold of any place of worship.

Under such circumstances, it can be readily conceived with what joy the neighbourhood of Kingswood heard the glad tidings of the projected liberality of Parliament, and the institution of a Society to assist in particular cases, the building of churches; this enabled them to cherish the hope that at no distant period, the cheerful sound of the Sunday chime would for the first time be heard in Kingswood Forest. Guided by the kind directions and unwearied exertions of the Bishop of Gloucester, no sooner was the Bill passed in Parliament, and the Society formed, than a subscription was set on foot in Bitton, to meet what might be granted either by the building Commissioners or the Soeiety, but with little prospect of success in such a poor neighbourhood. At length, however, 3007. were raised *, and with this small offering the public bodies were solicited. The Rev. Mr. Macdonald, the patron and incumbent of the parish, had previously in the most liberal manner, offered to appropriate a certain part of the tithes towards

tions has since been increased to 900l.; The amount of the private contribubut still there is a deficiency. The land was very dearly bought; and other unexpected demands have been made.

an endowment. The application to the building Commissioners, and the Society, was attended with greater success than was expected, and their assistance will long be remembered with gratitude; for the one immediately voted 2,1437. and the other 700%. Furnished with these means, preparations were immediately made to begin the work; and on the 9th June, 1819, the first stone was laid by the Bishop of Gloucester, who happened to be in the neighbourhood. On this occasion his Lordship addressed Mr. Macdonald, as Vicar and patron, congratulating him and his parish on the commencement of a building, which he hoped would be the means of reforming hundreds and thousands in that notoriously wicked neighbourhood; he prayed that it might be ever hallowed and frequented; that the pure word of God might ever there be preached, and God's blessing attend the ministers, who both in life and conversation might be bright examples of their sacred profession. On the same day, his Lordship perambu. lated and pointed out a line of demarcation for that part of the parish, to be attached as an ecclesiastical district to the new church, according to the provisions of the Act*.

After the auspicious commencement on this day, when all expected that the superstructure would shortly follow, a gloom for some months hung over the undertaking, arising from difficulties with regard to the title of the site; nor was it till the following May, in 1820, that the work proceeded. A neat, plain Gothic church and tower, were at length raised of that beautiful material so abundant in the neighboar. hood of Bath. The building was completed at the appointed time, and Tuesday the 11th Sept. last, was

By the late census, this district con tained 3,692 souls, the total of the whole parish being 7,171.

REMEMBRANCER, No. 37.

fixed upon for consummating this very important undertaking. On that day the Bishop of Gloucester performed the office of consecration*, dedicating it to the Holy Trinity, which name the Church now bears. It was a day that will not be easily forgotten by the old and young of Kingswood Forest. It was well said in a provincial paper, that "the service had every thing connected with it, to render it as solemn and interesting as any we have ever witnessed." A very great concourse of people was assembled on the occasion; and though the Church is calculated to contain one thousand persons, (whereof nine hundred have free sittings,) it is supposed that twice that number was present; besides a great many who could not gain admittance. The day was unusually fine; and considering the very unsettled weather at that time, heaven seemed to bless the poor people of Kingswood on the occasion, and to approve the work of that memorable day. No persons were admitted into the Church before the Bishop, except the Clergy, (who were in waiting to receive his Lordship,) and the children of the Cock-road †, and other schools in the neighbourhood, who had been previously trained to be the leading singers of the day. The Bishop, soon after eleven, was received at the gates of the yard, by the Churchwardeus, who conducted his Lordship to the west door of the Church, where the Clergy, and other principal inhabitants were in waiting.

*It appears by Burn that the Form of Consecration never received the Royal assent. Would not this be a very proper time for it to be authorized, and printed by the King's printer.

† Cockroad is that particular part of King-wood, noted for being the rendez

vous of the most notorious characters of the country. About eight years ago, a day school was established there, supported principally by Dissenters; it is numerously attended, and has been productive of much good.

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