one head, the Bishop, from whom they derive their authority, and to whom they are subject: (the rite of confirmation being reserved to the highest order, prevents each parish from becoming distinct, and causes a community of feeling; the councils of the bishops, and the presence of three or more at the consecration of a new one, connects the several dioceses.) No Englishman going to America, would refuse to join the Church there, or think of building one for himself, in opposition to the Church of the place, unless he meant to disown it, which would be absurd; so no American coming here would think of communicating in any other way than with us, otherwise Christ has two Churches at once, or if but one, then whichever be the right, the other must be wrong. Why do we complain of Dissenters, but because they despise and reject our society and communion, and cut themselves off from the great body of Christ's people. When this is done conscientiously, it must be borne with; but still it is much to be lamented: and where is the Christian charity of that man, who pretends to love his brother, and yet is quite unconcerned that a wall prevents all religious intercourse between them; yet this is called "agreeing to differ."-" We love you as brethren; but do you enter heaven on that side, and we on this, and let us never think of having any communications with each other."

Since the breaking up of the Roman Empire, and in consequence of the four Patriarchal (so called) or leading Churches having erred from the true faith, (see Art. 19), it has become necessary for the Churches of the respective countries to act separately, and regulate their own affairs. General councils are now impossible and unlawful, as the subjects of one country cannot consult with those of another, without the consent and concurrence of the respective rulers, who may possibly be at variance. To exalt the Church above the royal authority, ("all that is called God and is worshipped,") is a fundamental error of Popery. There being now, therefore, no superior authority to bind all together, (unless that of the Pope be acknowledged as legitimate), there are no grounds upon which to convict any Church of schism for taking such a step.

Notwithstanding this apparent separation, the Reformed Episcopal Churches remain united in these two points-First, in holding one faith; the general use of the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds being the token of this union. Secondly, as to the fabric or constitution, every member being admitted by one baptism, and communicating with ministers ordained by bishops, holding their authority by succession unbroken from the Apostles and from Christ *.

Thus has the Church of Christ in England continued in the "Apostles' doctrine and fellowship." The Church of England is Catholic, i. e. requiring no other assent to doctrines but such as the universal Church requires, and insisting on no terms of admission to its communion, but the belief of those doctrines, and the acknowledgment of the Church's authority as a society to appoint rules for good order and decency. It is they who have separated from us who have made new and exclusive rules of their own; thus, in fact, excommunicating us, in their opinion, from the society of the faithful. Are we then to bow to their yoke, or ought not they to accept our liberty? Are we to wander after them, or they to return to the fold they have forsaken? To deny the Church the privilege of regulating its own affairs, and of decreeing rites and ceremonies, is really to deny its very existence as a society for who ever heard of a society which had not that power? A society of independent persons, each at liberty to act for himself, is a contradiction in terms *.

Dr. Burgess, Bishop of Salisbury, has published a work, setting forth the great probability there is that a Christian Church was planted in Britain by St. Paul himself: at any rate, there is abundant proof that such a Church existed in this country long before the mission of Augustin from Rome. This person, however, must doubtless be considered the founder of the present Church of England. He was sent over here to convert the English, A.D. 595, by Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, (a good Christian, who lived before the Romish Church became corrupt, and assumed no authority out of his own diocese), but he was not consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury by him, but by the Archbishop of Lyons, in France, (with others); a Church which can trace up its succession of bishops to Polycarp, its founder, who was sent thither for that purpose by the Apostle John.Hence it appears we do not derive our succession through the Church of Rome; although, if we did, it would be no more detriment to us than it was to our Saviour to be descended from David, through a line of kings, many of them wicked men.

The REFORMATION of the Church of England was conducted in a manner strictly conformable to the decrees of the first councils. Archbishop Cranmer, with a majority of his bishops, separated their Church (complete in itself) from its connection with that of Rome, and the usurped dominion of the Pope. The present Church of England, as to its fabric, is the same which existed before the Reformation: it then only purged itself from the additional doctrines and corrupt practices introduced into it from Rome. Archbishop Cranmer was its head, both before and after that event; he became convinced of the errors of Popery, reformed his own Church, and at the same time kept his seat, (a special providence, not vouchsafed to all the Reformed Churches). He himself was the regular successor of Augustin, the first Archbishop.

Whoever will attentively consider the above statement, must perceive that our separation from Rome affords no more excuse or justification to Dissenters, than a king's rejection of a foreign yoke would justify his liege subjects in taking up arms against him. When Queen Mary came to the throne, she brought to the stake nearly all the Protestant bishops, and filled their places with Papists; these again were displaced by her successor Elizabeth, and Parker was consecrated archbishop by three of Cranmer's bishops, who providentially had made their escape, and seemed to be reserved on purpose for the occasion. After the Reformation, the Pope issued orders for all Papists in England to withdraw from the Established Church, which they did, and thus became, according to their right title, Popish Dissenters.-WE are English Catholics; to talk of Roman Catholics out of Italy is incorrect. The Church of England received no particular name at the Reformation; it might have been called Cranmerian as well as others Lutheran, Calvinistic, &c. but our Reformers were rightly directed to reject all such names, as intimating that the Church is divided into sects, and as contrary to our Saviour's com

mand, "Call no man master upon earth." The only title, therefore, which we assume, is Catholic, i. e. not as the Papists use the word, that there is no Church out of England, but that we profess ourselves the English branch of Christ's one true and only Church; that our faith, doctrines, and terms of communion, are such only as pervade essentially the whole true Church *.

The OVERTHROW of the Church by the Puritans in the time of Cromwell, A.D. 1648, for the space of twelve years, was effected by carefully instilling into the minds of the people that hearing sermons was an infinitely more acceptable service to God than attendance on Divine Service or the liturgy, by foisting in evening lecturers into the London Churches, who should preach without using the liturgy-thus giving people an opportunity of attending Church without hearing it read, and so by degrees weaning their affections from it; and lastly, by associating the idea of Popery with the very name of bishop, so as to prejudice the ignorant against the Establishment, (although Popery is as hostile to the proper and lawful authority of bishops in their own dioceses as the Dissenters themselves. The authority assumed by the Pope over the whole Church, is no part of his own episcopal office, but an infringement on that of others.) Those Churches which have rejected the government of bishops, have most of them, more or less, sunk into Socinianism; witness the lamentable state of the Church of Geneva, whose ministers are forbid to assert the Godhead of Christ: the Presbyterians in England also, without a single exception; and the Church of Scotland, in some measure, where to this day the Scriptures are not read-a nearer resemblance to Popery than any we are chargeable with.