And now what is the REMEDY for this deplorable and afflicting state of things in the church of Christ? A pious clergyman in the north of England inquired of us what would be the result of all these divisions, of this disunion, of these contentions and animosities, of these uncharitable and even hostile dispositions. We answered him as we now answer: All this must have an end, or God will 66 remove the candlestick" from Great Britain. But what are the best means to be adopted to put an end to such a state of things? We reply, first, Let the true servants of God, to whatever denomination they may belong, show themselves, and separate themselves from those who are simply political ecclesiastics, political Dissenters, political Methodists and Quakers. Let the children of God who are truly converted and sanctified withdraw from political clubs and associations; let them discountenance in their families all political discussions, or at least all violent debate on similar matters; let them unite in churches and chapels, in private houses, or in the sabbath schools, (a sort of neutral ground for all Christians,) to pray for the Spirit of union to descend upon them. Let them be present at all meetings for prayer for missions, whether of the Established Church, of Dissenters, or of Methodists; let them aid indiscriminately, and with all their means, all missionary societies, whether of Dissenters, Methodists, or the church; let them make a united effort, in concert with all, and to the extent of their ability, with one single and same desire and purpose. Let them wrest all hope from those who seek to sow divisions in the bosom of the church of Christ; let them refuse to take part in any association or committee that would tend to irritate and increase instead of healing the division between the church and the Dissenters, the Dissenters and the Methodists, the Methodists and the church. Let them withdraw their support from every publication, political, moral, or religious-from journals, magazines, or reviews, that use irritating language toward Protestant Christians of any denomination; let them, on the contrary, encourage publications founded on the principle of love and Christian union; let them establish journals for UNION, societies for UNION, seasons of prayer for UNION. Let them refuse to sign any political petition that contains injurious expressions against Dissenters, Methodists, or the church. Let UNION associations be formed in every parish of the kingdom, and the names of those be recorded who desire to live in union and Christian peace with their fellow-men, of whatever name or denomination among Protestant Christians they may be; let these UNION associations have for their object, 1. To cultivate in public and private a spirit of love and Christian fraternity; 2. The circulation VOL. V.-8

of tracts and other publications of a similar tendency; 3. To unite once a week, in the sabbath school or the parish school of the district, to pray for the spirit of peace, of love, and of union to descend upon Christians; 4. To admit new members who may be disposed to aid in this sacred cause; 5. To relieve, in proportion to the means of these associations, the temporal wants of such of their members as may have suffered in consequence of their membership. It may be that in many districts of England the attempt to form such associations would encounter numerous obstacles; but they would at length be formed, and multitudes, nay, millions of men would register in common their names, in the love of peace and union. That no one might be excluded, and that the poor might unite with the rich, it would be proper that no pecuniary subscription should be indispensable to membership in these associations; let the subscriptions of the rich be in proportion to their wealth; let the poor not contribute, or contribute according to their means; let there be for each member no other title than that of a Christian, or of a man known as such, and who desires to become a member of this UNION.

Let rewards be offered to those who distinguish themselves by their zeal or activity in healing the wounds of Christian churches; on this subject let sermons be preached, tracts published, and essays written; let the members of these associations act in some sort as Christian arbiters between churches that differ, or between separate sections of the same church. By this means, those who trouble the peace of the church of Christ would find no support in the church itself; and the friends of Christian harmony would never lack assistance in the execution of their plans or the accomplishment of their efforts. Such associations would meliorate the moral character of the country; they would elevate the spiritual state of the church of Christ; enfeeble or ruin the influence of political Anglicans, Dissenters, and Methodists; calm the existing irritation, and, without impairing the independence of each member on all spiritual or Christian subjects, would lead them to feel more and more the superlative importance of living as true Protestant Christians.

If these UNION associations were thus established, it would be proper that they should be protected and encouraged by the church, by the conference of the Wesleyan Methodists, and by the committees of the members and ministers of the three dissenting denominations; they should be openly approved by all these committees, who should invite individually each of their members to enter their names, and subscribe with the funds of their several

societies to similar establishments. By degrees all true Christians would become members, and an incalculable good would thus result to the church of Christ. These associations would gradually change the character of the Christian church; and instead of irritation, discord, and hatred, charity, love, and peace would spring forth. The points in controversy between the Church of England and the Dissenters, between the Dissenters and the Wesleyans, and between the latter and the church, are not of a nature to be decided by worldly men-by clubs or political parties. It was not thus that our Saviour or his apostles instructed us to heal such differences. No member of the Anglican Church can with sincerity say that a Dissenter cannot be a child of God; no Dissenter can conscientiously affirm that an Anglican cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. We are far from denying the importance-the immense importance of a clear, positive, and just exposition of all religious questions; we are far from asserting that in what concerns religion and the salvation of souls there is anything of secondary interest; but we maintain that, when once a man has received by water and the Spirit a second birth, when the Holy Spirit has once sanctified the soul of that man, when he is once justified by God's grace, adopted into his family, and sanctified by his Spirit, and proves by his life that he loves the will of his Master, and labors for his glory, every other subject, opinion, and point of view is secondary; and that such Christians, whether Dissenters, Anglicans, or Methodists, should love each other as brothers, act as brothers, and unite as brothers against their common adversaries, infidelity and Popery.

In presenting these observations on the present state of disunion among the Protestant churches in Great Britain, we take God to witness that we have had no other object in view than to exhort our brethren to cast a serious glance toward the precipice to which they are hastening, and to retain them in the only path that can lead to spiritual union. May He in his infinite mercy grant that this object may be in part fulfilled by this feeble effort, and all the glory shall redound to His holy name.

ART. VII.-No Church without a Bishop; or, the Controversy between the Rev. Drs. Potts and Wainwright, with a Preface by the Latter, and an Introduction and Notes by an Antisectarian. Octavo, pp. 176. New-York: Harper & Brothers. 1844.

THE Controversy upon church government, which has been revived by the Oxford divines, and carried on with so much spirit and ability upon both sides, has not yet terminated. The public is however, if we understand the signs of the times, less excited upon the subject than it was twelve months since. Men, we hope, are now giving themselves to sober thought, and are carefully reviewing the whole ground. We are happy that the excitement has produced, or been the means of producing, so many able works upon the various topics directly or remotely connected with the main question, and especially that the old authors are called in to act over the part which they acted first upon emergencies similar to those by which we are surrounded at the present time. It is scarcely possible to say anything better upon the subject than that which was said by the great champions of Episcopacy on the one hand and of Presbyterianism on the other, during the period of the Protectorate and the reign of the Stuarts: since which, with our little research, we are not able to learn that one new thought has been added to the stock of knowledge upon the subject contributed by the extraordinary minds of that extraordinary age. But when the high-church pigmies of these times elevate themselves upon the shoulders of the giants of a former age, and flourish their swords and swing their caps, it seems but right, that the sons of the Puritans should assume the vantage ground won and defended by their fathers, and hold up their impenetrable shields, and throw their banners to the breeze. This is all that the circumstances require; and as upon all former occasions, after a flourish of trumpets, our high-church opponents will throw themselves upon their reserved right of maintaining a dignified silence in relation to troublesome objections. But we must address ourselves to the task we have undertaken.

And

We fear that the mere title-page of the work before us will be all that many will desire to see. The controversy, as it was published in the newspapers, was so embarrassed with questions of mere etiquet, that its merits were scarcely appreciated. the reader of the pamphlet, unless he has an extraordinary amount of patience, will do well to commence with Dr. Wainwright's "Essays" (page 75,) and follow on with the "Remarks" by Dr. Potts,

In

(commencing page 119.) He will find all that is of much value in this part of the work. The preceding portion consists mostly in a controversy in relation to the true issue pending between the parties, and the responsibilities which each had assumed. his first communication Dr. Potts committed the fatal error of promising, in his turn, to prove that Dr. Wainwright's proposition-"there is no church without a bishop"-" is unscriptural, uncharitable, schismatical, and anti-republican." Though it is most evident that this was not to be the first issue-that Dr. Wainwright had given the first challenge, and that the simple question between the parties was, Can there be a church without a bishop? and that Dr. Wainwright stood pledged to take the negative of this simple question; yet, he so manœuvres as to hold Dr. Potts to the proof of what was naturally second in the order of the controversy, before he will proceed a step. And thus upon the question, who was the challenger, and who, "according to the laws of dialectics," was bound to proceed first to the business of proving, our champions had all but exhausted the public patience. But finally becoming thoroughly sensible that they stood in an awkward position, they rushed to the conflict. All these skirmishes were unfortunate at the time, and now, in the book, they present the unsightly aspect of a portico nearly as large as the house. Dr. Potts was evidently mistaken in his man. He expected no dodging-he looked for no Jesuitical arts-upon the open challenge of Dr. Wainright, he made up for fair fight; but he subsequently found he had spoken a little too soon as to what he would prove on his part. This furnished a loop-hole through which his antagonist came near escaping, and would indeed have escaped, and left Dr. Potts to fight alone, if he had dared to do so. But knowing that he would leave the field with dishonor, unless he gave some little proof of courage, he held on until Dr. Potts proceeded to lead on the discussion upon his own propositions. After a short rencounter, our champions change their relative positions, and finally proceed in the discussion, as they should have done at first, Dr. Wainwright laying down his thesis and attempting to sustain it, and Dr. Potts following with his answers.

Of the relative strength of the combatants, we shall say nothing -their productions are before the public, and every one can judge of this for himself. We cannot, however, withhold the remark that Dr. Potts has written with spirit and ability, and is entitled to the gratitude of the evangelical churches. In this paper we shall find little occasion for referring to Dr. Potts' answers, as our principal object is to notice some of the positions of Dr. Wainwright and his note-writer.