4 their waists. So they took up the little lambs, and put them in their bosoms. But they did not smother them: they left their heads out, so that they could breathe well. But they kept them snug and warm. It was a pleasing sight to see an old shepherd, with his long gray beard, and his bosom full of lambs. Just so the Bible says of Christ "He shall gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom." Many little children have loved Christ: and he has never let such perish. He is as good to little children as to old people. He says, "I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me." Among the twenty-one hundred sheep were some old and feeble ones: they could not walk much. If the way was miry or steep, they could hardly go along. So the shepherds would come and put their crooks under their bodies, just behind their fore legs, and help them along. They treated them with great gentleness and care. Just so the good Shepherd has pity on the weak, and gently helps them along. He never leaves nor forsakes them: "his rod and his staff comfort them." He leads all his sheep into his fold for safety. He leads them out that they may find pasture. If little boys and girls are wise, they will desire, above all things, to belong to Christ's flock. I hope all of you will commit to memory the twenty-third Psalm. It is beautiful: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."-Dr. Plumer. THE CHURCH OF ROME, THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, AND THE CHURCH OF CHRIST COMPARED. for its head. The Church of England has the Queen for its head. But the Church of Christ has no head but Christ himself. II. The Church of Rome is governed by the laws of the Pope. The Church of England is governed by Acts of Parliament; but the Church of Christ is governed by no laws but the Bible. III. The Church of Rome says it has power to appoint rites and ceremonies to be observed in the worship of God, and to decide what is truth in matters of faith. The Church of England claims the same power (see the 20th Article in the Book of Common Prayer). But the Church of Christ does not acknowledge any to have that power but Christ himself. IV. The Church of Rome denounces all that dissent from her as heretics. The Church of England denounces Dissenters as schismatics. But the Church of Christ receives all who love Jesus Christ as brethren, whatever sect they belong to. V. The Church of Rome pretends to make all that join her Christians. The Church of England pretends to regenerate all that she baptizes, and to send to heaven all she buries!! But the Church of Christ teaches that none are Christians, or go to heaven, but such as are regenerated by the Holy Ghost. VI. The Church of Rome pretends to forgive sins! The Church of England pretends to absolve from all sins! (See the "Order for Visiting of the Sick.") But the Church of Christ maintains that none can forgive sins but God only. Form of Absolution in the Church of Rome.-"Our Lord Jesus Christ absolve thee; and I by his authority absolve I. THE Church of Rome has the Pope thee from thy sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the ever labour in the cause of Christ your Holy Spirit." ministers or the church may request you to undertake? Form of Absolution in the Church of England." Our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe on him, of his great mercy forgive thee thine offences; and by his authority committed unto ME, I ABSOLVE thee from ALL thy sins, in the name of the Father," &c. 8. As Christ has made it the duty of his own disciples to support his cause, by their free-will contributions, shall you be willing to contribute, as the Lord may prosper you, towards the support of your ministers and the maintenance of religious ordinances? 9. As the moral influence of your example, and the improvement of your own Christian character, as well as the pleasure and encouragement of your ministers, will depend much on the regularity of your attendance on the public means of grace, will it be your desire, and aim, and practice, to attend QUESTIONS PROPOSED TO CAN-in your place on the sabbath, and at 1. How long have you thought seriously admit of? 2. Do you recollect any particular means which, in the hands of God, have led you to serious thought? 3. What are your views of your own character and state in the sight of God? 4. On what ground do you hope for pardon and salvation? 5. Jesus Christ says, "Ye must be born again:" what reasons have you for thinking that you have been born again? BRITISH REFORMATION. THE REFORMATION UNDER ELIZABETH. ELIZABETH, at the age of twenty-five, on the death of her sister, Queen Mary, ascended the throne of England. She inherited her father's haughty spirit, and she had been educated in hatred of the papal powers; as her title to the crown was founded on Henry's marriage made in defiance of the pope. January 14, 1559; according to the She was crowned by Bishop Oglethorpe, Roman pontifical. She chose Sir Wil 6. What are your reasons for wishing liam Cecil to be her Secretary of State, to join the church? 7. As it is required of all Christians that they should be "the servants of Christ;" that they should work in the Lord's vineyard; that they should "not be weary in well-doing;" that they should "always abound in the work of the Lord;" shall you be willing, if admitted to the church, to perform, as far as you think right and feel able, what and Sir Nicolas Bacon, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal,-both of them Protestants. pists, the prayer against "the tyranny of the bishop of Rome, and all his detestable enormities," was omitted from the Litany and the words at the delivery of the bread in the Lord's supper, "Take and eat this, in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on him in thy heart with thanksgiving," were exchanged for these,"The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was given for thee, preserve thy body and soul." The passages in the Rubric respecting kneeling, that "no adoration is intended to any corporal presence of Christ's natural flesh and blood, because that is in heaven," was omitted. All this was done that the new form of words might be capable of being interpreted to favour the doctrine of Consubstantiation, as held by the Lutherans, and that of Transubstantiation, as held by the papists. or shall open prayers, than is men- Semi-Protestantism, retaining the priesthood, the ecclesiastical offices, titles, and robes of popery, was thus established by "An Act for the Uniformity of Common Prayer and Service in the Church, and Administration of the Sacraments." But even this did not satisfy the queen; for, as Dr. Warner states, "she was desirous to retain images, crucifixes, and crosses, instrumental and vocal music, with many of the popish Labits; and, in the Act of Uniformity, there is a clause empowering her to ordain and publish such further ceremonies and rites as may be for the advancement of God's glory, the edifying of his church, and the reverence of Christ's holy mysteries and sacraments. Had it not been for this reserve of power to make what alteration her majesty thought fit, she told Dr. Parker she would not have passed the Act. This Act, however, and the rigour with which it was executed, occasioned the separation of those who the exclusive authority and sole sufnow began to be called PURITANS, from their attempting at a purer form of discipline and worship, as they imagined, than that which was yet established." This Act provided, that "if any parson, vicar, or other minister, shall refuse to use the said Common Prayer, or shall wilfully and obstinately use any other rite, ceremony, form, or manner of celebrating the Lord's supper, &c.; This celebrated Act of Uniformity, though regarded by Churchmen as the bulwark of the English Reformation, was a direct subversion of the grand fundamental article of Protestantism, ficiency of the Scriptures. It was essential popery in its principle, grafted on a Protestant title; and it was framed and passed in direct opposition to the bishops of the church. It flagrantly violated the rights of conscience, encroaching on the sovereign prerogatives of God. Uniformity was enforced with vigour, the Act commencing June 24, 1559. The oath of supremacy was now ten the latest age of the world. The ministers, therefore, first endeavoured to obtain the concurrence of the Catholic bishops in the consecration; which those prelates, who must have considered such an act as a profanation, conscientiously refused. They were, at length, obliged to issue a new commission for consecrating Parker, directed to Kitchen of Llandaff; to Ball, an Irish bishop; to Scory and Coverdale, deprived in the reign of Mary; and to two suffragans. Whoever considers it important at present to examine the list, will perceive the perplexities in which the English church was involved by a zeal to preserve unbroken the chain of episcopal succession. On account of this frivolous advantage, that church was led to prefer the common enemy of all reformation, to those Protestant communions which had boldly snapped that brittle chain: a striking example of the evil that sometimes arises from the inconsistent respect paid by reformers to ancient establishments." dered to the prelates who had been cration, so as to preserve the popish zealous papists in the late reign. "Se- pretence of apostolical succession. Sir veral of the bishops," says Dr. Warner, J. Mackintosh thus states this diffi"had died shortly after the death of culty: "The Church of England then Mary; and most of those who were adopted, and has not yet renounced, now living had complied so often with the inconsistent and absurd opinion, that the changes in the three preceding the Church of Rome, though idolatrous, reigns, that they were at length ashamed is the only channel through which all of turning any more." All the fifteen lawful power of ordaining priests, of conbishops, therefore, except Kitchen of secrating bishops, or validly performing Llandaff, who was esteemed a mere any religious rite, flowed from Christ, time-server, concluding, as Bishop Bur-through a succession of prelates, down to net states, that "if they would stick close to one another in refusing the oath, the queen would be forced to dispense with them, and would not, at one stroke, turn out all the bishops in England," would not yield to admit the queen's ecclesiastical supremacy; and, refusing, Elizabeth put them in prison. She then appointed a "High Commission," by virtue of her supremacy, to suspend or deprive such clergymen as were unworthy. "These visitors having made a report to the queen," as Burnet states, "of the obedience given to the laws and her injunctions, it was found, that of nine thousand four hundred beneficed men in England, there were not more than fourteen bishops, six abbots, twelve deacons, twelve archdeacons, fifteen heads of colleges, fifty prebendaries, and eighty rectors of parishes, that had left their benefices upon account of religion, so compliant were the papists generally." Dr. Warner remarks on this dishonest policy: "The clergy thought it most advisable to comply with the Reformation, that they might keep the Protestants out of the churches, and be in a condition themselves to support their abdicated friends; so that, if the queen had died before all that generation was dead, and before a new set of men, better educated and principled, were grown up in their room, they would have probably turned about again, under a prince of the old religion, as nimbly as they had done before in the reign of Mary." Episcopal prelacy was now, however, in serious danger, because of the nonconformity of the popish bishops. Dr. Parker, who had been chaplain to the queen's mother, she nominated as archbishop of Canterbury. But a difficulty arose as to his canonical conse Various arrangements were made in 1560, for the settlement of the Church of England: other bishops were consecrated; an edition of the Bible was published as a new translation, with brief notes; and a short profession of doctrine was agreed on. But, in January, 1562, the convocation met, and revised the forty-two "Articles of Religion," which had been drawn up by Cranmer, and ratified by Parliament in the reign of Edward VI.; they were now reduced to thirty-nine. The ceremonies were next reviewed, when the Puritans determined to petition for the removal of the popish rites. A paper, signed by thirty-three of the most distinguished divines, was laid before the assembly, imploring a further reformation. They desired that various things Dr. Fuller remarks, "The Commissioners had not courage enough to deprive a divine of so much merit, who held up the ashes of Smithfield before their eyes." March 26, 1562, the London clergy were required to meet the archbishop with other prelates. The Secretary of State and others of the council refused to be present; but the archbishop presided. A Mr. Cole standing in his robes before the ministers, the Laychancellor addressed them: "My masters, and the ministers of London, the might be laid aside, especially signing | take it from me." with the cross in baptism, kneeling at the Lord's supper, wearing such copes, caps, and gowns, as the enemies of Christ's gospel have chosen to be the special array of the priesthood, the religious observance of saints' days, and the punishment of those who observe not the ceremonies. This petition was rejected; when another, modified in its prayer, signed by forty-three clergymen, famed for learning, was presented. Several long debates arose upon it; and, as Bishop Burnet states, In conclusion, the House divided-council's pleasure is, that strictly ye forty-three voted for the propositions, and thirty five against them, and that no change should be made in the Book of Common Prayer then established. But when the proxies were counted, those who were for the propositions were in all fifty-eight, and those who were not for them were fifty-nine. So that they were agreed by a majority of eight of those who were present, and who heard the disputations; yet those were outvoted by a majority of one vote, by the proxy of an absent person." Reformation, on the basis of Scripture, was thus defeated; and though Bishops Jewell, Pilkington, and some others, pleaded for liberty regarding the ceremonies, Archbishop Parker, the head of the Court clergy, prevailed, and enforced uniformity. Dr. Humphreys, Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford, and Thomas Sampson, dean of Christ Church, famous for their learning and piety, were brought before the archbishop, at his palace in Lambeth; but in vain they appealed to the Scriptures, and the usages of the reformed churches, who had cast away the popish practices, the prelate insisted on full conformity: they were, therefore, ordered to prison; and for many years suffered grievous persecution. John Fox, the most famous of the London ministers, and the learned author of the History of the Martyrs," was brought before the prelates, who required him to give a written promise of conformity; but he, taking from his pocket a Greek Testament, said, "To this will I subscribe," refusing their papers: and adding, "I have nothing in the church but a prebend in Salisbury, and much good may it do you, if you keep the unity of apparel, like this man, as you see him; that is, a square cap, a scholar's gown, a tippet, and, in the church, a linen surplice; and inviolably observe the Rubric of the Common Prayer, the queen's injunctions, and the Book of Convocation. Ye that will presently subscribe, write Volo; those that will not, write Nolo. Be brief; make no words." Some beginning to speak, were silenced: " Peace, peace! Apparitor, call the churches. Masters, answer presently, subpoena contemptus, and set your names." This proceeding exhibits the intolerant spirit of Antichrist, dishonouring the blessed name of Jesus. Sixty-one of the ministers subscribed; some of after-persuasion and threatenings, for fear of a prison and the ruin of their families: but thirty-seven refused, in the spirit of the apostles of Christ. The archbishop acknowledged that some of these were the best preachers; yet they were suspended from their ministry: but though they presented a learned justification, appealing to the Word of God, the Commissioners replied, that their business was not to argue, but to execute the queen's injunctions. The prelates not allowing liberty of conscience, while they imposed ceremonies which all acknowledged were not prescribed by the Scriptures, many seceded from the Church of England; and hence originated the modern English Independents. Episcopal vigilance discovered, in 1567, a congregation in the city of London. About a hundred of them were assembled in Plumbers' Hall, for sermon and the Lord's supper. Many |