vocation and station in which it hath pleased God to place us.

with his church has an explicit reference to the successive generations of mankind; and that the Lord's subsequent promise, to be This varying part of instruction, this with his church alway (with the pastors and branch which depends on our station in with the flock committed to them), is in like social life, is usually called secular education. manner coupled with a command to make The question is continually asked by one disciples and baptize, and teach the baptized party," Has the church a right to give to observe his commands. secular education?" and by another party, The church accordingly makes disciples" Ought not religious and secular education of, and baptizes, the infant children of her members. This is the first part of her enjoined duty: the second is to teach them. In fulfilment of this second part, and for her own security, that the children may be taught, she requires sponsors; not for efficacy of baptism, for, in emergency, she permits private baptism without sponsors until the public baptism can be completed.

But is the appointment of sponsors a sufficient compliance with that great command of Christ, even if sponsors fulfil their utmost duties? and do they, at large, fulfil their utmost duties? Can we expect that the Spirit and the words of the Lord will be so fully with us as we are privileged to expect, if we do not carefully teach the disciples whom we have made to observe all things which Christ hath commanded us? When we are really so teaching them, that is, whilst we are, in fact, educating all the young who are baptized, then may we feel that the Lord is with us alway. But shall we say that we are doing so in the present state of national education? Surely we may not exonerate ourselves by leaving our duty to sponsors, nor even feel that we are fulfilling what is required of us, by bringing them to the regular services of God's house on Sundays, and to the more stated times of catechizing, however invaluable these ordinances may be. We want schools-universal schools-for all the young of the nation; schools in which all children may be taught to observe all things whatsoever Christ has commanded us.

to be severed, and taught apart from each other?" There is a previous question to be settled: What has a Christian man to do with learning and education so strictly secular as to have no relation to, no connexion with, his present duty to his Maker and his preparation for a future state? What can be the social duty in which we are not called upon to have reference to God and the will of God? Hath not our Maker's word said, that "none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself; for whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: living, therefore, or dying, we are the Lord's; for to this end Christ both died and rose and revived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living" (Rom. xiv. 7-9)? Why did Solomon ask wisdom, and why was it given, but for the express purpose of fitting him to fulfil the duties of his station as king? When God in his providence placed Daniel and his companions in the Chaldean court, it is written that he gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom; so that, in all matters of wisdom and understanding that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in his realm (Dan. i. 17, &c.). Surely it is the duty of the church to provide a child with that kind of education which will enable it, as it grows up, to serve God in that state of life in which his providence hath placed it; or, in the words of scripture, to serve his own generation, by the will of God," before he falls asleep in death. Who so likely to do this as those who, like David, have hid God's word in their hearts, that they might not sin against him?

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Such instruction comprehends personal religion; that is, our faith, our duty to God, our way to heaven, our preparation for it-the spirit, in short, of the Lord's Prayer and the Creed wrought into our thoughts and habits. The church is bound to spread the princiIt also comprehends social religion; that is, ples of sound religion, like leaven, through our morals, our duty to our neighbour, to every institution, public and private, wherour sovereign and our country, to our fellow-ever the opportunity is afforded her. She is men every where. Instruction and the formation of habits in these two branches comprehend all that the church of God is bound to teach the young; but they embrace a very wide field of education. Part of what they comprise, namely, our personal, and also a large division of our social, religion and duties, belongs alike to all classes of mankind; but another part, especially of our social duties, must vary according to the

called on to act in this evil world as the great antagonist of Satan; to war with him at every step; to strive against him not only in each individual heart throughout her range, but also in all public or national matters where his hand is traceable, his influence felt. The church of Christ hath always more or less done so. Even in her darkest periods, when overgrown with unseemly excrescences, when most deeply polluted, when least alive,

CHURCH OF ENGLAND MAGAZINE.

she still sought to grapple with Satan in the broad public evils of Christendom. When society was overspread with rapacity, with cruel, oppressive ferocity; when mutual rights were disregarded, and the broad principles of morality defied; then did the church endeavour to grasp the better principles of honour and feeling whieh feebly struggled in the human breast, and gave them a kind of religious sanction as a safeguard to the oppressed. She cherished learning, elsewhere despised: she encouraged self-denial and humility, and promoted liberality in the cause of religion. What though all these things were deeply corrupted by the disease which was then eating away her very vitals; what though the faint gleam of light which still remained to her, in spite of her neglect of scripture, scarce sufficed to show men how far she was right and how far she was wrong; what though Satan eventually turned everything to superstition and ungodliness; still, whatever of good was left in society, as broad principles of general action, was kept alive by the church of Christ, sickly and enfeebled as she was.

:

And at present, in our own days of glorious light, have we no master-artifice of Satan with which it behoves us to cope? In former times the blessed doctrine of the mediatorship and atonement of Christ was all but lost in our times is it not sought to dethrone from his place the Lord God the Holy Ghost, as the only giver of wisdom, life, and light? What does it matter whether this be done by the avowed infidel (the socialist and neologist) or by the sectarian, who substitutes individual human opinion for the collective wisdom of all scripture, or by the Romanist, who places tradition, and the opinions of a few good and often great men, as And how equal with God's holy word? shall the church cope with this subtle and quickly-spreading evil, except by the instilling of sound scripture principles of faith, of wisdom, and of practice, in the minds of the rising generation? Had this been done systematically and universally half a century ago, how much infidelity, division, and wickedness, and consequent misery, would have been spared to our country!

Let, then, the church of God arise, and exert herself. Nay, she is already doing so; is great. Let her be but the emergency watchful every where to introduce religion as the basis of education; yet let her, on the other hand, be careful to give an education suited to every grade of society, and such as will fit men for their duties in every station of life. She already has the universities and grammar schools for the upper classes of society: she has the national schools for the

children of the poorer classes; though even
now there are in the kingdom much above a
How much,
million of poor children who have no schools
of any kind within their reach.
therefore, remains for her to do in this de-
partment!

But there is another, a middle class of
society, in England, that large body which
ranges between the professions and more pub-
lic departments on the one hand, and the
labouring classes on the other; that class
which is engaged in agriculture and in trade.
What provision hath the church of England,
as a church, made for their children? Hitherto
none. She hath left their education to private
persons, to private schools, under no uniform
regulation or provision for a foundation of
sound religion and scriptural principle, with its
superstructure of solid and suitable instruc-
tion. They are wholly dependent upon the
individual character, the individual opinions
and views, good or bad, of those who, for
their own speculation, and without being
under ecclesiastical direction or responsibility,
undertake to educate.

Ought it to be so? Are the classes who conduct the vast agriculture and trade of England so small a body that they need no universal system of schools for that peculiar standard of sound education which should belong to them, and which will fit them for their duties? Why does not the church come forward as a church, on this important point, diocese ? Why does she not establishing a system which may be spread over every every where either found "middle schools," at which sound and suitable education could be given at a moderate expense, and also adopt already existing private schools, whose proprietors may be even now affording a good education, and may be willing to regulate their establishments under such general principles as shall be recognised and established by the authorities of the church? Such middle schools have already been tried, and generally with success, in many insulated spots of the kingdom; but there would be requisite several in every archdeaconry throughout England, perhaps one of moderate extent in almost every deanery. Surely the efforts of the clergy, which would not be wanting, and the co-operation of the middle classes themselves, which would follow as soon as they were convinced that the movement was really advantageous, would gradually suffice to fill up this gap which at present exists in the church's efforts for the education of her children. Thus would all stations be in the way of being provided with sound education; and thus would the church be using the proper and rational means of fulfilling the duty enjoined by her great Head,

when he commanded her to teach those whom | tary humility, or fleshly mortifications; but may

she baptizes "to observe all things whatsoever he has commanded*."

* Many such schools will be found scattered through out the kingdom; as, for instance, at Dunster and Portishead, in Somersetshire; at Warminster, in Wilt

shire; at Rochford, in Essex; at Warrington, Lincoln, Lichfield, and other places. Information upon the subject will be found in the National School Society's Report for 1840, and in the Reports (since 1840) of the Diocesan Boards of Education for Canterbury, London, Lincoln, Salisbury, Chester, Lichfield, Bath and Wells, &c. The Lincoln Diocesan School, and the Metropolitan Commercial School Institution, have also published particular reports. Many efforts have already been made for this department of education; but there appears to be needed some general arousing of public attention, some connected system through

the kingdom, some separate society or branch of the National Society; for the National Society at present professes to be for the education of the poor, and the

classes now referred to are not of the poor.

Meditation."The things which have not God's written word for their authority may as easily be contemned as allowed" (St. Jerome). "St. Augustine complained in his time, that ceremonies were grown to such a number, that the estate of Christian people was in worse case, concerning that matter, than were

if he had seen the number of ceremonies of late days

we place our whole trust and confidence, and rest all our hope and desire in the Lord Jesus Christ, stedfastly confessing and believing that, by his righteousness, and through his grace alone, we can be saved.

O Lord Jesu Christ, we, who were once sinners of the Gentiles, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks, that thou didst vouchsafe to break down the middle wall of partition, and unite Jew and Gentile, circumcision and uncircumcision, in one mystical body, that we, who lay in darkness and the shadow of death, should, by the mouth of thy holy apostles, hear the blessed word of the gospel, and, believing, be made wise unto salvation.

And we praise and magnify thee, O Lord and our merciful God, who knowest all hearts, that thou didst put no difference between us and Israel thy chosen, and didst freely give unto us thy Holy Spirit, the earnest of our adoption, that he might purify our hearts by turning them unto thy faith and fear and love.

O, let us rejoice evermore in the sweet comfort and consolation of the blessed truth, proclaimed by the apostles and elders, and all the company of the faithful, that whosoever believeth in thy Son, Jesus Christ, hath everlasting life, and shall not fall into condemnation. But, O Father, all have not yet come unto thee and believed: the dark places of the earth are still full of idols and pollutions and blood. O, stir up thy power, and come among us. Strengthen the hands of them that labour among all infidels and heathen: be thou a sure defence unto them that peril their lives, so that they may win souls unto the Lord Jesus. Visit the Gentiles, and take out of them a Known unto thee are all thy works from the bepeople for the praise and glory of thy great name. ginning. O, hasten the time of thy coming. Build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down into the dust: O build again the ruins thereof, and set it up, that the whole earth may seek unto thee, their Lord and their God. Amen. S. H.

the Jews....But what would St. Augustine have said, used among us? Christ's gospel is not a ceremonial law (as much of Moses' law was), but it is a religion to serve God, not in bondage of the figure or shadow, but in the freedom of the Spirit; being content only with those ceremonies which do serve to a decent order and godly discipline, and such as be apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God, by some notable and special signification whereby he might be edified" (Of Ceremonies, thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, C. P.)

Prayer.-Almighty Father, whose blessed Son was circumcised and obedient unto the law for our sake, grant to us the true circumcision of the Spirit, that our hearts and all our members may be mortified from all worldly and carnal lusts. Create in us new hearts and a new spirit: take away the stony heart, and give unto us a heart of flesh. Prevent us, O Lord, by thy Holy Spirit, so that we put no confidence in the flesh or in aught which thy grace may enable us to do, and deliver us not over to the delusion of Satan, as though by our own arm or by our own holiness we could stand before thee and be justified in thy sight, O most righteous and holy Lord God. Suffer us not to be brought into the yoke of bondage, which not even the most faithful of the fathers were able to bear.

Gracious Father, we beseech thee watch thou over us, lest our souls be ensnared and seduced from the truth by giving heed to unprofitable teachings, to devices and traditions of men, to meats and drinks, or to will-worship and volun

EVENING.

"Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place, to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain."-ISA. xxvi. 20-21.

it is the guilt of sin in the conscience which makes Meditation." Sin made Christ our enemy; and his coming to judgment terrible, and will make the eternal punishment of sin terrible indeed. Take away sin, and God is reconciled. Let the soul be cleansed from the pollution, and the conscience purged from the guilt of sin, and there will no fear remain of condemnation. The judge will then be the Saviour, and we shall have no dread of his judgment, having already received the blessings of his salvation. O, that you may find an entrance, and press forward with an holy violence, until you receive grace to prepare you to

meet your God" (Romaine).

Prayer. O Lord Jesu Christ, who didst leave with thy church the blessed promise that thou wouldst come again in like manner as thine apostles did see thee go up into heaven. We, thine expecting servants and children, wait for thee patiently in the way of thy judgments. The desire of our souls is to thy name and the remembrance of