observe many things grossly unscriptural and erroneous in the liturgy of the church of England, and which are directly at issue with the gospel of Christ. And we should feel that however excellent and unobjectionable in itself, that volume might be as a whole if it were purged from all the popish errors it yet retains, still no body of men have a right to compose a set of prayers, to form articles, and draw up creeds, and then impose them by an act of parliament upon their unborn posterity throughout all succeeding generations. We do not mention how impossible it is to draw up forms of prayer which shall include all cases proper to be noticed in approaching Gcd in public worship, and how little probability there is that a merely corrected copy of the old popish mass-book, published by civil authority above two hundred years ago, should be that form, and so perfect; but we would maintain our birthright, we claim liberty to offer up our own prayers. Our heavenly Father invites us to pray, and he has prescribed no forms of prayer, nor can any one regret more sincerely than ourselves, that in many of our parish churches the gospel is not preached. We think the influence of a pious evangelical clergyman is so great, that popular opinion and good-will is so much in his favour, that immense good is effected where such an one presides. And we are very thankful to know that very many such excellent men there are. May their number greatly increase! But were the gospel preached in every parish church in the kingdom, still we must remain dissenters. The last lecture in this series will show that very many most importaut objections still operate with great force to for ever prevent our return to the bosom of a church established by civil law. "Our fathers regarded the reasons for separation from the church of so much weight, (and the same reasons still remain) that they chose to endure the loss of all things rather than unite in an establishment, the constitution of which they believed to be essentially different from the church of the living God. Nor is the church of England at all improved in her constitution and government. As a civil establishment, the laws of the land have given an unalterable perpetuity to all her imperfections and sins. However solicitous her spiritual rulers may be to remove even her faults, yet neither priest, bishop, nor archbishop, nor the whole of the clergy together can alter a single stone in this venerable pile. The king, lords, and commons alone, have authority here. And though the power and right are claimed -" to decree rites and ceremonies;" yet no spiritual functionary can introduce even a single ceremony, or abolish one rite already existing, without subjecting himself to very severe penalties. However objectionable, therefore, may be some of the articles, or some parts of the liturgy, or ceremonies of the church of England, they are immutable till the constitution of this realm is changed. "But all this would be of small importance if it did not affect the honour of Christ. We have unfeigned pleasure in testifying our allegiance to the king of Great Britain, as our supreme civil ruler, and for his long life, health, and happiness we most devoutly pray; but the parliament has placed him over the church in his dominions as her head. We are fully assured, however, that Christ, and he alone, ought to occupy that exalted station. We dare not offer homage to any human being as occupying the throne of the Son of God. Nor can it be allowed to any one to legislate for consciences and souls but he whom God has declared to be the king in his "holy hill of Zion." When the power of thus standing at the head of all spiritual affairs was assumed we know; and why it was assumed we know; but when it was conceded by Jesus Christ to kings and queens is a very different question. Nor can we give our assent to an union of church and state. We are taught that the kingdom of Christ is not of this world; it derives not its support, grandeur, or defence from secular power, wealth, or honours; but is wholly spiritual in its nature, and wholly dependant on divine interposition. But these things will come under review in another place. I may however observe, in transitu, that the attentive and unpre judiced reader cannot fail to see, that errors in doctrine and discipline first prepared the way for the union of church and state; and that the love of wealth, pomp, and dominion, first induced men to exult in that unhallowed alliance. For the three first centuries after Christ, his followers had no patronage but the friendship of their exalted Lord; and that alone was sufficient to secure abundant prosperity. It will appear moreover, that the cause of Christ has always been supported by dissenters; and in many ages of the church, almost by dissenters only. For nearly one thousand years the dominant church was the church of Rome; and during that long and dark period, the church of Christ was banished into the wilderness. If the Albigenses and Waldenses had not abode faithful, though hated of all men, then had this world become as Sodom, and like unto Gomorrah!" The first and second centuries are the period in which we are to look for the church, as it was constituted by the apostles, after the pattern given them by their blessed Lord and King. See Prefatory Epistle, page 6 and 7. and Lectures, pages 23, 26, 28, 32. We cannot pass over without transcribing our author's note, page 5, Prefatory Epistle, on the origin of the Book of Common Prayer. "Dr. Wordsworth, who is a very strenuous episcopalian, gives us a curious account of the origin of "The Book of Common Prayer." "In the settlement under queen Elizabeth, all the care imaginable was taken to unite the whole nation in one religion, if it were possible; and whatever was in the former liturgy (as published by Edward VI.) that might exasperate or offend them (the Roman Catholics) was taken out, by which compliances, and the expunging of the passages before remembered, the book was made so passable among the papists, that for ten years they generally repaired to the parish churches, without doubt or scruple." And in a note the same writer adds elsewhere. "Great care was taken for expunging all such passages as might give any scandal or offence to the popish party, or be urged by them in excuse for their not coming to church, and joining with the rest of the congregation in God's public worship."-Ecclesiastical Biography, by Christopher Wordsworth, D.D. six volumes octavo, second edition, 1818. 11-39. note 7. Such is the history of our excellent liturgy! Is it surprising that such a book should contain gross errors ?" The reader's attention is also directed to pages 264, 308, 314, 395, bearing on that subject. To the lovers of Jesus who take the bible as the rule of their faith and conduct, we recommend this volume, and hope we shall not do so in vain. FRAGMENT. THERE are some weak christians who are continually wishing that Christ would love them more; if Christ has once loved them it is impossible that this wish can ever be gratified, for his love is one of the immutable perfections of his Deity, and is as incapable of increase, as of diminution. He may more freely manifest his love towards them, but he cannot love them more freely; and it is by not making this plain distinction between the existence of the love of God towards them in his decrees, and its manifestation in his dispensations, that weaklings in the faith are distressed and brought into bondage; let such remember for their consolation, that the love of God is like himself, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; and that whether they are in the vale or in the mount, he changes not. POETRY. THE LOVE OF GOD. "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God."-1 John iii. 1. How fathomless deep is the ocean above, Of covenant mercy and covenant love; The spring is eternal from whence it doth flow, THE SPIRITUAL TRAVELLER. THE christian is a stranger here, A trav'ller in a foreign road; Poor mortals to eternal death. Nor can below desire to roam, To taste the painted bliss of earth, But longs to reach its heav'nly home. T. W. In tents of sin while others dwell, Their fleeting life to trifles give, And all that's good or wise repel, Living as though they'd ever live. He envies not their seeming mirth, His bliss is fix'd on things above, In meditating on the worth Of his Redeemer's boundless love. He rests, and in that better land THE Spiritual Magazine ; OR, SAINTS' TREASURY. * There are Three that bear record in heaven, the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY GHOST: and these Three are One." "Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." 1 John v. 7. Jude 3. MARCH, 1829. (For the Spiritual Magazine.) THE HEAVENLY PARADISE. "To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise."-Luke xxiii. 48. THESE words, uttered by our dear Lord, when his spirit was about to leave this lower world, are of a most interesting nature; not only they were so to the poor penitent to whom they were directed, but they are so to all the Lord's family now in the low lands, in the paths of tribulation, who are led to reflect on their importance; for where one of the Lord's favorites is, there shall they all be, or, in other words, where Jesus the Head is, there shall each member of his mystic body be. All those to whom, with power, he hath said, "Follow me," shall not be suffered utterly to forsake him till they have realized the promise, "thou shalt be with me in paradise." From these very interesting words, a question may be proposed,what is paradise? I can propose, but cannot answer it, being beyond my conception, and much farther beyond my description, The garden of Eden was an earthly paradise, a most delightful and desirable spot, planted by the Lord, into which he brought the man he made, who, with his delightful partner enjoyed it so long as they retained their integrity. How near our ideas arrive at the truth of what this paradise was, I leave; at all events, this paradise at best, is not to be compared with that in which our Jesus is, where we with him shall be. One is earthly; the other heavenly. One natural; the other spiritual. The one, occupied by Adam and his spouse for a little VOL. V.-No. 59. 20 space; the other, to be occupied by Christ and his spouse for ever and ever. The On taking possession of this paradise there will be a loss of every uneasiness whatever, and an introduction of every thing that will produce pure joy, perfect happiness, and uninterrupted bliss; "joy unspeakable, and full of glory;". "pleasures for evermore." disciples had, as it were, a diminutive paradise let down to them on mount Tabor; and, St. Paul was caught up to paradise; but neither the disciples, nor Paul, can tell us what it is. Let the brightest intellect figure to itself a state of blessedness of the highest kind he is capable of, it will come infinitely short of the paradise above. If it be enquired, where is paradise? it is no uncommon thing for men to point upward, and say, yonder is paradise; yonder is the heaven of heavens, the habitation of the blessed. For mortals to ascertain where paradise is, is impossible; nor is it of the least importance to us whether it be in a direct line above us, when the earth is in this, or any other position. That it is some place, is certain, or where is the body of Jesus, and those who are in a glorified state? Whether it be stationary, or moveable, it matters not; this we may venture to believe, it is a place where Jehovah's glory is displayed, in a wonderful manner, to the unspeakable joy of the holy angels, and the spirits of the just. Let this suffice then, that we are such to whom the Lord shall say, "To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise ;" and when we have realized the unconditional promise, of being there with Him, we shall know enough to make us so joyful as never more to desire to return to this imperfect state. And, if the Lord is with us here, we shall as surely be with him there, as we possess being. Did Jesus say to the poor dying penitent on the cross, "This day thou shalt be with me in paradise?" all other real penitents shall be there also; none being real penitents, but such whom Jesus loves, and whom he loves, he needs must have for companions in paradise. He is gone to prepare a place for them, that where he is, they may be also. Yea, it is the Father's good pleasure to give them a kingdom; and this kingdom is the paradise. Yea, his bare word is sufficient ground for our belief, for, as guile was never found in him; and, as God, he cannot lie; therefore, those who are united to him shall also dwell with him. And, what is most blessed to consider, there are no conditions on our part to fulfil; he having said, “thou shalt," nothing can hinder. Happy! happy soul, then, whose faith is fixed on Jesus! But when? To-day." Though these words referred to the spirits of Jesus and the thief, yet, what is our life? "a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away!" therefore, our departure hence will be, as it were, to-day, our life being but a span." Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." "With me!"-with Jesus, with the friend of sinners-yea, with the Saviour of sinners-with the God-man-thy Lord-thy friend. I will conduct thee thither: thou art here with me now, but, "to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise." I will shew thee the glories of the place; such glorious splen |