worthy to open and to read the large sealed Book of Providence, so it was by his special grace and goodness that the lesser book, that is, the inspired volume, was laid open to all the western churches by the labours of the Reformers. This was accomplished by their constant appeals from every human writing to the word of God, and by the translation of the scriptures into the vernacular languages of Europe. The then recently discovered invention of printing greatly aided them. In the vivid language of the translators of our own Bible, Translation it is that openeth the window to let in the light, that breaketh the shell that we may eat the kernel, that putteth aside the curtain that we may look into the most holy place, that removeth the cover of the well that we may come by the water; even as Jacob rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, by which means the flocks of Laban were watered.'

Besides this, however, the Reformers firmly established the great principle of the clearness and sufficiency of the Word of God to make us wise unto salvation through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and as this principle is always liable to be assailed, and is of permanent importance, a chapter may be advantageous to the reader, giving those statements by which the Reformers fully established the fact, that the Bible, and the Bible only, is the sure foundation and the sufficient and infallible rule of faith. It is the more necessary to do this, as it has been recently suggested that the rule of faith which is now commonly taken to mean the Bible by itself, would seem, in the judgment of the English church, properly to belong to the Bible and Catholic tradition together. These two make up a joint rule. joint rule. Scripture is interpreted by tradition, tradition verified by scripture; tradition gives form to the doctrine, scripture gives life; tradition teaches, scripture proves.'

The impression left by this vague suggestion is very contrary to THE DECIDED TESTIMONY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. A rule of faith, to adopt Tillotson's definition, is, 'The measure according to which we judge what matters we are to assent to, as revealed to us by God. Now our 6th Article is express, 'Holy scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation, so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary for salvation.' In the very first Homily, at its beginning, we are told, 'Let us diligently search for the well of life in the books of the New and Old Testament, and not run to the stinking puddles of men's traditions, devised by men's imagination for our justification and salvation. For in holy scripture is fully contained, what we ought to do, and what to eschew, what to believe, what to love, and what to look for at God's hands, at length.'

In those really pure and sound traditions of men, the three Creeds, the Church of England still maintains this principle, 'They ought thoroughly to be received and believed; for they may be proved by most certain warrants of holy scripture.' The CHURCH OF SCOTLAND is equally distinct. Thus its Catechism testifies, 'The holy scriptures of the New Testament are the word of God, the only rule of faith and obedience.'

THE CONFESSION OF HELVETIA testifies, In controversies of religion or matters of faith, we cannot admit any other judge than God himself, pronouncing by the holy scriptures, what is true, what is false, what is to be followed, or what to be avoided.' THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA asserts, The holy scripture of the Old and New Testament is true, certain, and worthy to be believed, whereunto no other human writings whatsoever, or of what sort soever they be, may be compared, but that as man's writings they must give place to the holy scriptures: first, because it is inspired and taught of the Holy Ghost.'

THE FRENCH CONFESSION says, 'We account them as the rule and square of our faith-the sum of all truth, containing whatsoever is required for the worship of God and our salvation.'

THE BELGIAN CONFESSION, after giving the list of books, adds, These books alone do we receive as sacred and canonical, whereupon our faith may rest, be confirmed, and established. This holy doctrine is perfect and absolute in all points and parcels thereof, and therefore no other writings of men, although never so holy, no custom, no multitude, no antiquity, nor prescription of times, nor personal succession, nor any councils, and to conclude, no decrees or ordinances of men are to be matched or compared with those divine scriptures and bare truth of God, forasmuch as God's truth excelleth all things.'

THE WIRTEMBERG CONFESSION asserts, 'It is a plain case that all things which are needful to be known to salvation are contained in the prophets' and apostles' writings.'

So in the CONFESSION OF THE FOUR CITIES we read, "No part of Christian faith and sound doctrine can be wanting to him, who with all his might labours to follow and embrace the scriptures of God.'*

Thus with one voice do the Protestant churches testify this great fundamental principle of the Reformation, itself indeed shining brightly in the word of God, and especially in 2 Tim. iii. 15-17.

• The Church of Christ in every age has agreed to these truths. The sentiments of the Fathers may be seen at the end of the Corpus Confessionum, in Birbeck's Protestant Evidence, and in the last part of Tillotson's Rule of Faith. But at the Reformation alone, after the evils of leaning on tradition had become manifest, it was fully established.

POPISH AGGRESSIONS IN TAHITI.

THE following extracts will we believe interest our readers: "EXTRACTS FROM MINUTES OF MEETING OF THE 'AUSTRALIAN AUXILIARY TO THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.'

"The Secretary read letters, one from Mr. Pritchard, British Consul at Tahiti, dated July 29, 1839, and one from the Rev. Mr. Davis, dated Papaia, July 25, 1839, detailing the outrage committed by Captain La Place, of the French frigate L'Artemise, on the Queen and inhabitants of Tahiti; and also a letter from the Right Honourable George Canning, dated March 3, 1827, promising to Pomare, the Chief of Tahiti, such protection as could be afforded to a friendly power at so remote a distance from the British dominions.

"It was then resolved:

"I. That this Meeting have heard, with feelings of sincere regret, the detail of violence contained in the two first letters now read; and they cordially sympathise with their brethren in Tahiti, in the affliction under which they now labour; and they now desire earnestly again to commend to the Almighty God the cause of true Christianity in the South Sea Islands.

"II. That a communication be made with the Parent Society, calling their earnest attention to the aggressions committed by the French on the Island of Tahiti, and detailed in the letters brought before the Committee: and that a deputation be appointed to wait upon the other Protestant denominations in Sydney, connected with missions in the South Seas, to urge their attention to the same.

"III. That the Rev. Mr. Crook, and Messrs. Foss, Ladlier, and Thompson, be appointed the deputation alluded to in the foregoing Resolution.

"IV. That a letter be sent to Mr. Pritchard, encouraging him under the present trying circumstances, and tendering him advice thereupon. "V. That this Meeting adjourn till Friday evening, the 27th in

stant.

"Pitt-street Chapel, Sept. 20, 1829."

"H. NOTT, Chairman.

66 MR, PRITCHARD'S LETTER.

It took two months

"I have just returned from the Navigators Islands;-while I was away, another French frigate came to Tahiti. She was all but wrecked upon the rocks to the eastward of Point Venus. It was with the utmost difficulty they could get her into the harbour. to repair her. As soon as she was fit for sea, the Commander showed himself in his true colours. His conduct towards the Tahitians was oppressive and arbitrary in the extreme. Having heard that a law had been passed to prohibit the Roman Catholic doctrines being taught in Tahiti, he insisted on its being repealed. He then demanded that a Roman Catholic Chapel should be built at Papeete; to this the natives agreed. He then insisted upon having a Roman Catholic chapel at every station where there was a chapel for Protestant worship. To

this also the natives were compelled to agree. From first to last, the Commodore told the Queen, that it was of no use to object to his propositions; that if she did not willingly agree he should make her. If these things were not agreed to, 200 men under arms, were to be landed, and commence the work of devastation and death. They were first to set fire to the large chapel, then the Queen's house, and the other houses of the Royal Family. They were to depose the Queen, and put one of the Chiefs into the Government."

66

66 MR. DAVIS'S LETTER.

The Camden has, I believe, sailed to-day for the Marquesas, with Mr. Thompson. How things are there, we know not yet; several Roman Catholic missionaries went there, but there is a report of their being ill-used at Nukuhiva. We had lately a visit from a large frigate L'Artemise, Captain La Place, said to be the son of a noted French astronomer of that name, and author of many mathematical and astronomical works. This frigate got on the rocks of Hitiaa, and was very near being lost. It was with very great difficulty they could keep her afloat to come to Rapeete; and there, for weeks, they had more than 150 natives pumping night and day to keep her from sinking. In the course of two or three months she was repaired, and they got everything on board again. The crew, about 450, while ashore, had, upon the whole, behaved well, and seemed under good discipline; but when ready to sail, the captain assumed a threatening posture, demanded liberty for Roman Catholic worship, and said, while this was denied, a mark of degradation was put upon the French which they would not allow. He demanded to be upon a level with the English and Americans; if not, he would fire upon the place, take possession of it, and garrison it with 250 men. Under the influence of fear, the natives very reluctantly (the Queen was particularly averse to it) promised that the French might have a place or places of worship, but missionaries were not mentioned. Now I have no doubt that we shall shortly have a swarm of priests from their nest in Valparaiso. The frigate is now gone to Oahu, (Sandwich Islands,) to demand 25,000 dollars for the expulsion of the Catholics, and, if it is not paid, to take possession of the island."

66 MR. CANNING'S LETTER.

"Foreign Office, London,
"March 3, 1827.

"Sir,―The missionary, Mr. Henry Nott, has delivered to me the letter which you addressed to the King, my master, on the 5th of October, 1825, soliciting his Majesty's friendship, and also requesting to use the British flag.

"I have hastened to lay your letter before the King, and have received His Majesty's commands to acquaint you, that, while His Majesty feels every disposition to comply with your wishes, as far as His Majesty can do so with propriety, he regrets that, consistently with the usages established among the nations of Europe, it would be improper to grant the permission you solicit to use the British flag.

"His Majesty, however, commands me to say, that, although the customs of Europe forbid his acceding to your wishes in this respect, he will be happy to afford to yourself, and to your dominion, all such protection as His Majesty can grant to a friendly power at so remote a distance from his own kingdom.

"His Majesty has derived much pleasure from the various accounts which have reached this country, of the beneficial change which has taken place in the moral and social state of the Islands under your government; and of the progressive advancement of your subjects in civilization, through the introduction of the Christian religion, by means of missionaries sent from Great Britain. His Majesty trusts, that the benefits which have been thus, through the exertions of the missionaries, derived from that religion, may be long continued to your dominions and people.

"I have committed this letter to the charge of Mr. Nott, who is about to return to Taheite. He will present it to you, and will assure you more fully of the friendly dispositions entertained towards you by the King, my master.

"In conclusion, I recommend you to the protection of the Almighty. “Your faithful friend,

"To Pomare,

Chief of the Island of Taheite."

"GEORGE CANNING.

"The above documents having been laid before a Meeting of the Wesleyan missionaries of the New South Wales district, it was resolved,

"I. That while the Meeting would carefully avoid meddling with political matters, the brethren cannot forbear expressing, in conjunction with the Committee of the Australian Auxiliary to the London Missionary Society, their heartfelt regret on account of the forcible and oppressive measures which have been employed to secure the introduction of Roman Catholicism among a people who have, for so many years, enjoyed the advantages of religious instruction under the missionaries of the above Society, especially as it appears that the natives were not unwilling to accept the gratuitous services of the Romish Clergy.

"II. That if such proceedings may be practised with impunity, the brethren of this district cannot avoid entertaining the most serious apprehensions for the peace and prosperity of the interesting and hitherto successful Missions in the South Seas, particularly as other attempts have already been made to introduce the Romish clergy in opposition to the wishes of the natives, the whole of whom have long ago placed themselves under the religious instruction of our missionaries.

"III. That this Meeting deems it highly expedient to draw the attention of the Wesleyan Missionary Society to these occurrences, respectfully suggesting to them the propriety of employing the influence they possess in such a manner as, in their judgment, the nature and importance of the case demands.

"IV. That a copy of the documents submitted to the Chairman be attached to these Resolutions, and forwarded to the Committee for their further information upon the subject.