sealed up; and that tradition is Scripture unfolded, explained, and opened.' This is that which Vincentius Lyrinensis long since delivered-to wit, that the Scripture is sufficient, and containeth all things necessary to be known of a Christian man for the attaining of salvation; but that for the avoiding of the manifold turnings of heretics, perverting the same to their own perdition, we must carefully look to the tradition of the Church, delivering unto us the true sense and meaning of it. By this which hath been said it appeareth, that the Church wherein our fathers lived and died was, in this point touching the sufficiency of the Scripture, an orthodox and true Protestant Church, as it was in the former, touching the canon of the Scripture.

NOTES.

THE contrast between the "Nonconformists" and the modern Dissenters is well exemplified by a late writer thus:

Who were the Nonconformists?

This is a question which, in this age of education, ought not to require an answer. But unfortunately the education so much boasted of is little more than a varnish on the surface; and thousands who talk about the "Nonconformists," and their "principles," know nothing, or next to nothing, about them.

The fathers of nonconformity were two thousand ministers of the Church of England, who were ejected from her pale on account of their refusal to conform to certain regulations which they deemed unauthorized by Scripture. These excellent and highly conscientious men-piety and zeal were equally unimpeachable-were as unlike modern Dissenters as possible. Far from "dissenting on principle" from an Established Church, or manifesting towards it the virulent and unchristian spirit which characterizes the political dissent of the present day, the Nonconformists were sincerely attached to the Church and its services, and left it unwillingly. This is proved by their conduct after their ejection. It is recorded of one of the most eminent among them (Philip Henry) that though, at the earnest entreaty of part of his flock, he continued to act as their minister after he was deprived of his living, he attended constantly at the parish church, with his little congregation, to whom he preached at home afterwards. No bitterness, no malice, no opposition to the authorities, distinguished those Nonconformists-no clamour against church-rates-no denun

* "Scripturam esse implicatam quandam et obsignatam traditionem, traditionem vero esse Scripturam explicatam et resignatam."

ciations against the Established Church: but quiet, meek, loyal submission, and reluctant separation.

What are the principles of nonconformity?

These we may glean from the following extracts from the recorded opinions of the Nonconformists:

Dr. John Owen, in a sermon before the Parliament, said—“ Some think you ought not, as rulers of the nation, to put forth your power for the interest of Christ. The good Lord keep your hearts from that apprehension. If it comes to this, that you shall say you have nothing to do with religion as rulers of the nation, God will quickly manifest that he has nothing to do with you, as rulers of the nation.'

Dr. Doddridge, Nonconformist minister." If no coercive power were admitted, it is probable that covetousness would drive many into dissenting parties, in order to save their tithes or their possessions. So that none can reasonably blame a Government for requiring such general contributions.”

Dr. Isaac Watts, another eminent Nonconformist divine, says, in his "Civil Power in Things Sacred”—“ I do not vindicate the refusal of tithes and dues to the Church in our nation, for they are to be considered as a civil or national tax or incumbrance on every piece of land or house bought or rented, and so appointed by our laws; and therefore every man knowingly buys or hires his land or house with this incumbrance fixed upon it.'

Matthew Henry (son of Philip Henry), acknowledged to be one of the most distinguished of the Nonconformist divines, in his admirable commentary on the Scriptures, thus remarks on the miracle which Jesus Christ wrought to pay the tribute-money :-" The tribute demanded was not any civil payment to the Roman powers-that was strictly exacted by the publicans; but the Church-duties, the halfshekel, about fifteen-pence, which was required from every person for the service of the temple, and the defraying of the expenses of the worship there. ................................ The temple was now made a den of thieves, and the temple worship a pretence for the opposition which the chief priests gave to Christ and his doctrine; and yet Christ paid this tribute. Note:-Church-duties, legally imposed, are to be paid, notwithstanding Church corruptions. We must take heed of using our liberty as a cloak of covetousness, or maliciousness. If Christ pay tribute, who can pretend an exemption?"

I subjoin some further specimens of the "principles of nonconformity," which, though they do not directly bear on the question of compulsory payments, may prove useful, as showing the feelings with which the Nonconformists in other days regarded the Church, and their opinions respecting "Church and State."

Baxter, a Nonconformist.-"The State cannot stand secure without the Church, nor the Church without unity. We highly value the Thirty-nine Articles, as sound and moderate. I would awaken your jealousy to a very careful observance of the Infidels and Papists. Should they infest our vitals, or get into the saddle, where are we?"

* About five times as much as the modern Church-rates.

John Howe, a Nonconformist.-"Thanks be to God, we are not so stupid as not to understand that we are under stricter and much more sacred obligations than can be carried under a name, to adhere to our reverend fathers and brethren of the Established Church, who are most united among themselves in duty to God and our Redeemer, in loyalty to our sovereign, and in fidelity to the Protestant religion." Matthew Henry, in commenting on the text, "Go and teach all nations," &c., says "Now this plainly signifies it to be the will of Christ, that Christianity should be twisted in with national constitutions." Again" Let us give God praise for the national establishment of our religion."

Dr. Adam Clarke."I have not hesitated to show to my people that the Bible is in perfect accordance with the principles of the British Constitution, and the doctrines of the Established Church; to manifest to men of these and future generations the absolute necessity of holding fast that form of sound words' which distinguishes our National Church, and of ever connecting the fear of God with honour to the king."

Rowland Hill." The public liturgy of the Established Church is a public blessing to the nation."

W. Bramwell, Wesleyan minister." I esteem the Church of England, because her liturgy is the most scriptural form of prayer of human composition in the world."

John Wesley." They who are enemies to the Church, are enemies to me."

Similar quotations might be given, at much greater length than would be convenient, but the above are quite sufficient to prove that the Nonconformists, and their successors, the acknowledged chiefs of dissenting divinity, held opinions totally at variance with the Churchdestroying Dissenters of the present day. As Mr. Coleridge remarked, "Is it not extraordinary to see the Dissenters calling themselves the successors of the old Nonconformists, and yet clamouring for a divorce of Church and State? Why, Baxter, and the other great leaders, would have thought a man an Atheist who had proposed such a thing. They were rather for merging the State into the Church. But these, our modern gentlemen, who are blinded by political passions, give the kiss of alliance to Rome, and walk arm in arm with those who deny the God that redeemed them, if so they may but wreak their antipathies on the National Church." I by no means agree with Coleridge, if he means to impute to the Dissenters any approbation of Popish doctrines; but their political union with Papists, for one common object, renders them, I grieve to say, but too justly open to his pungent rebuke.-From a pamphlet published in 1837.

The Apostles' Creed leads on to the Nicene; the Nicene to the Athanasian; the Athanasian to the full testimony of the Reformation in our Thirty-nine Articles. Our own Church combines and concentrates this growing truth in our established formularies, in which, however others who have assumed superior attachment to Church principles may discover discord, blessed be God, there is a growing and strength

ening concurrence of consent, as to their full harmony with all God's truth, among the faithful ministers of the Church of Christ.-Bickersteth.

THE HELP OF HUMAN TEACHING.

-we

We are ministers of the Church of England. Our Church, to God alone be glory, our enemies themselves being the judges, is the grand bulwark of the Reformation. The Papists, in their vain boasting, call it "the almost sole surviving coherent body of Protestantism." Under this our good Mother Church-I am not ashamed of the scriptural term, believing fully our Church to be a part of that "Jerusalem above, which is the mother of us all "– have received large, full, and most scriptural instruction in that truth which was handed down to us from the apostolic age, recovered from the corruptions of Popery, displayed at large in our authorized documents, sealed afresh with the blood of martyrs, and, with a comprehensive wisdom and largeness of heart to all who differ from us, but love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, was most providentially and nationally rescued from imminent danger and secured to us at the Revolution of 1688.

Do we, then, set up tradition in the place of the word of God, or unduly magnify it as necessary to complete the sufficiency of Scripture? By no means. In true tradition there is indeed great benefit; but in false tradition there is immense injury. Truth, if truth, is not less precious when it is orally conveyed or learned from uninspired man. Tradition is not of itself evil, but only the tradition of error. But here is the danger, lest, under the name of tradition, and not knowing of whom we learn, we should receive falsehood as truth.

The controversies now afloat lead me to think it to be important to endeavour to place this subject more distinctly before you.

The benefit of the oral transmission of truth is great. The Gospel was first spread by the foolishness of preaching, and has since continued its glorious course, going "forth conquering and to conquer" by this means. It was some time before the great truths proclaimed were reduced to writing. God ordains living instruments to be his chosen vessels of mercy, to convey mercy to their fellow men; and the living voice, and feeling, and energy of a soul truly converted to God is his appointed means of spreading his truth.-Bickersteth.

THE REAL SUFFICIENCY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

"From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation."

In the midst of all the danger of self-deception, and of all the errors of human teaching, and all the evil men and seducers, who wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived; in the midst of these perils of the last days, there is one pure and holy light. It was the glory of the Reformation to give it to the Church in the vernacular language, as an open book to be read by all. It is a clear, plain, and infallible teacher; not darkness, but light; not mixed with error, but unmingled truth; not unintelligible doctrines, but truth to be preached to the

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poor, and to be understood by them; a sure, perfect guide, using great plainness of speech," for every simple-minded Christian. God himself, speaking as the wisdom of his people, says, "All the words of my mouth are in righteousness, there is nothing forward (intricate) or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge."

Let us consider, then, those properties which mark the sufficiency of the Scripture.

It is the great fountain head of saving truth. Nothing is of any value, as a doctrine for our salvation, but what is taken from the inspired volume. God gives men varied gifts and capacities for drawing from this fountain; but unless it can be shown to be drawn from the fountain, it is of no worth as a divine doctrine. Scribes well instructed to the kingdom of heaven will bring from this treasure things new and old; but whether it be new, or whether it be old, it is worthless if it be not taken from this divine treasure. Here is God's own appointed and freely opened well-head of life, from which flow all the living streams that water, and refresh, and fructify the whole earth.

It is the grand test of true or false doctrine or teaching. Nothing can be plainer than the testimony of the Church of England here: "Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor proved thereby, is not to be required by any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary for salvation." Though the primitive Church applied the term rule of faith to the early creeds, it was only because they viewed them as drawn distinctly from the Scriptures; all the articles being expressly contained in Scripture. Our Church, in maintaining those creeds, takes care to make this clear, by stating, that "they ought to be received, for they may be proved by most certain warrants of holy Scripture." To make the Fathers, or any human writers, instead of the word of God, the test of sound doctrine, is to lean upon an arm of flesh instead of trusting in the Lord, and to magnify man's word above God's word. There is infinitely more danger of our being misled by mere human words, however ancient and venerable, than by God's word, which is altogether pure, and, for the most part, far more clear to the poor and unlearned than any human writings.'

The holy Scriptures are also the privilege and birthright of every Christian. They were possessed by Timothy long before he was ordained to the ministry, and even though he was the child of a Greek. Let the Papacy put restrictions on their use; keep them from the people, or multiply difficulties in the way of their being read: but it is and shall be the glory of Protestantism to give to all the clear and full exhibition of Christ and his word. In that passage of Revelation which foretells the Reformation, Christ is represented as appearing as an angel from heaven with the open book in his hand. The progress of the Reformation is again represented under the character of "an angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." And thanks be unto our God that he is so at this time using our country. Most remarkably was England blessed