whole), have shrunk away, or sunk to rest; most have discovered that one hour and an half in a week is but very little to offer to Almighty GOD: the murmurs against the Athanasian Creed and the imprecatory Psalms, are no longer heard: and those who retain their wishes for some alteration, are content to abandon it for the time as hopeless, and to comfort themselves, that if the Liturgy were more perfect," the sort of idolatry now often offered to it 1" would be increased, and it might be "placed not only on a level with the Bible, which indeed men often do already, but even above it." Thus the Church has gained a respite; and persons,

who love her, might

the more cheerfully go on with the task of studying her character, and developing it in their own practice, and inculcating it on their flocks.

And with this we should have been contented, had we ourselves, or our own character, alone been concerned. Each year is changing or modifying the opinions of numbers among those, who once regarded as novelties the truths which we have put forth in the name of our Church: many now support them, who once opposed them; and of those who have been too long trained in a different system to receive any new impressions, many yet see thus much, that there is nothing in these views inconsistent with piety; and so they are content to wait with Gamaliel, to see

Hooker's Defence of the length of the Church Service, Eccl. Pol. V. xxxii. and notes, ed. Keble.

1 Essays on the Church, p. 270.

whither this thing would grow, "for if this counsel

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or this work be of men, it will come to nought; "but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lest haply ye be found to fight against God."

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The case, however, is altered since your Lordship, as our diocesan, has, in the discharge of your sacred office', pronounced upon the charges circulated against us; acquitting those among us who are parochial ministers, of any "breach of discipline," and bestowing a refreshing and paternal praise, which we gratefully acknowledge at your Lordship's hands, for our" desire to restore the discipline of the Church,” our "attempts to secure a stricter attention to the Rubrical directions in the Book of Common Prayer, and to restore the due observance of the fasts and festivals of the Church :" and on other topics, although your Lordship declines entering into questions, which

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might hereafter tend to controversial discussions," (since your Lordship's office is to pronounce and arbitrate, not to dispute with those over whom you are placed in the LORD) your Lordship has kindly stated that "the authors of the Tracts have not laid upon your Lordship the painful necessity of interfering, nor have you any fear that we shall ever do so." And thus, while we thankfully acknowledge the caution which your Lordship gives, especially to those who have learnt of us, (since in times of excitement

1

Charge delivered to the Clergy of the Diocese of Oxford, 1838, pp. 20, 21.

there must always be reason to fear lest the truth should be evil spoken of, through the exaggerations of those who receive it,) we feel ourselves acquitted, not of human infirmity, but of having put forth any such doctrine, or in such spirit, as would call for the admonitions of those who have authority in the LORD's vineyard.

But this acquittal by your Lordship, calculated in itself to inspire confidence in the members of the Church, and to procure us peace, has proved only contemporaneous, at least, with yet more violent and more extended censure. Even your Lordship's name and office has not been spared, simply for having acquitted us1; many seem to be perplexed, as if there must be some evil about the thing, of which there is so much evil spoken; as the chief captain commanded to examine St. Paul "with scourging, that he might "know wherefore they cried so against him." Acts xxii. 24.

In reverence then to your Lordship's office, I would endeavour at least, to show those who will see, that we were not undeserving of your Lordship's kindness; both lest your Lordship's holy office (for personally your Lordship would be unconcerned) should in the eyes of any be compromised; and in hopes of restoring in some measure that spirit of concord, which your Lordship would promote; for which we pray; and which we very sensibly need, now that

1

Church of England Review, reprinted in the Times newspaper.

Romanist and Ultra-Protestant are united in an unnatural league against our Church. And in so doing, I would beg respectfully to be understood, not to claim the sanction of your Lordship's authority in behalf of all the views which I profess. In some indeed, and in those affecting the most important questions, I feel assured that I coincide with your Lordship, as having learnt them from the same Mother, the Church of England; others, upon which she has not pronounced, I would claim only to fall within the scope of your Lordship's words: "There must always be allowable points of "difference in the opinions of good men; and it is only when such opinions are carried into extremes, or are mooted in a spirit which tends to schism, "that the interference of those in authority in the "Church is called for."

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The charges brought against us are heavy, disaffection to our own Church, unfaithfulness to her teaching, a desire to bring in new doctrines, and to conform our Church more to the Church of Rome, to bring back either entire or " modified Popery."

The evidence for these charges is somewhat vague for ultra-Protestantism has in its own nature no standard except each man's private judgment, and so its notions of Popery vary according to each man's individual views; and that becomes to every one Popish, which in solemnity of observance is greater than his own, or a doctrine, or rite of Antiquity which he holds not. Time was, when the use of the surplice, the cross in Baptism, the very use of the LORD'S

prayer in the same part of the service which it occupied in the ancient ritual, to bow at the name of our LORD, to stand during the reading of the Gospel, to administer confirmation, to "turn his face "at any time from the people', or before service "ended, remove from the place where it was begun," and the like, were accounted Popish by those of the "extreme reformation," whose principle it was that "in nothing they may be followed which are of the "Church of Rome 2" Whither that principle leads, our Church has once had but too unhappy experience. But the principle, although modified, is not abandoned; it is not now Popish to bow at the name of our LORD in the Creed, but it is Popish to do so at any other time; the Cross in Baptism is not Popish, but for any, privately, to retrace that mark upon himself, though a practice of the early Church, is Popish; to baptize infants is not Popish, but to hold that all infants derive benefit from Baptism is altogether Popery; to bow to the Altar where such (as in some cathedrals) is the received custom, is not Popish, but to speak of it with respect is so; the title "Altar," is not Popish in the coronation-service, because it is part of the ritual of our Church; but, (though a scriptural and primitive title) used by any private Clergyman, it is an indication of Popery *: to kneel towards the east, is not Popish in a Cathedral, or in the Ordi

Hooker Eccl. Pol. V. xxx. beg.

2 Hooker E. P. V. xxviii. beg.

Essays on the Church, p. 290. Fraser's Answer to Dr. Hook's Call to Union, p. 8.

4

Essays, p. 287. Fraser, p. 21.