Italy and Sicily. In the Council of Nice, A.D. 325, it was decreed that the ancient customs should prevail, and the privileges of Churches be preserved." The Council of Ephesus also, A.D. 430, forbade Bishops to assume jurisdiction over provinces which had not from the beginning been subject to their predecessors ;" and it enjoined on "all who might have taken such provinces an immediate restitution." It likewise decreed "that every province should preserve pure and inviolate the rights which it had from the beginning; that the canons of the Fathers might not be transgressed, nor the pride of worldly dominion enter under the pretence of the sacred ministry."

I have before shewn that the British Church was independent of the Church of Rome in her origin; we are further assured that she continued to maintain and exercise that independence down to the time when the above synods were convened. For in the year 381, when the Council of Constantinople was held, according to a very ancient Greek MS. in the Bodleian Library, purporting to be "the order of the Presidency of the most holy patriarchs on that occasion, neither England, Scotland, nor Ireland, were reckoned dependents on the Roman Patriarchate.t Jerome also, about the same time, testifi that the British Church was sound in the faith, and wholly independent of any other Church.‡

That she was independent of the Roman jurisdiction in the year 314, when the Council of Arles was held, appears from the conduct of her representatives at the said Council. There were present three British Prelates, Eborius, Bishop of York, Restitutus, Bishop of London, and Adelphuis, Bishop of Caerleon, who was also attended by Sacerdos the Priest, and Arminius the Deacon, from the same place. These subscribed to the acts of the Council, one of which was "That no Bishop should encroach upon another." Then they forwarded the canons to the Bishop of Rome, to be promulgated, and not, as the Romanists pretend, to be confirmed by him. In this letter to the Bishop of Rome they give him none of those pompous titles, which the Popes have since assumed, but simply call him their " dear brother;" they say they were all knit together in one common bond of charity and unity-that they were met at Arles, in obedience to their most pious emperor-that they should have been glad of their brother's, the Bishop of Rome's, company-but as that could not be, they had sent him an abstract of their canons, that he might publish it throughout all his diocese.§ According to the resolutions of the Councils of Nice and Ephesus the British Church was to continue thus independent until the canons should be altered by another Council of equal authority; and as no such Council has ever since been held, we must unfeignedly protest that "the Bishop of Rome hath no jurisdiction in the realm of England."

The

Moreover, in the letter reported to have been written by Eleutherius to Lucius, we find the nationality and independence of the British Church frankly and unequivocally admitted by the former. prince is congratulated "for having established the Church in his kingdom," and recommended, as the temporal head of that Church, "to rule the same in the unity of the faith and the law of Christ." And lastly, in consideration of his supremacy in things ecclesiastical, he is compli* Origines Liturg. vol. ii. p. 263. Hierom in Paulin.

† Peranzabula, p. 71. § Peranz. p. 68.

mented with the enviable title of "Vicar of Christ," which title was adopted and retained by the British Kings and their Saxon successors, down to William the Conqueror, but afterwards usurped by the Popes."

Granting that the British prince was aided in his designs to promote the original efficiency of his Church at this period by the co-operation of Christian teachers from Rome, yet the fact would go no further to establish her dependence on the See of Rome, than the arrival of Germanus and Lupus, at a subsequent period, would transfer her allegiance to the Church of Gaul. Indeed, if a converted nation necessarily becomes subject to the particular See from whence it was originally supplied with instructors, then all the churches would be subject to the See of Jerusalem, since it was from thence the Gospel was propagated throughout the world.

From the time of Lucius down to the arrival of Augustine the monk, A.D. 589, it does not appear that the national Church of Britain was at all annoyed by Romish interference. In the meantime, ecclesiastical affairs were conducted "decently and in order." Dioceses were formed, churches were erected and endowed, monasteries and schools were founded in different parts of the country; and, under royal patronage, Christianity became more eminently the religion of the State.

The Romanists confess, as we have seen in Bede's account, that the British Church kept the faith inviolate until the time of Dioclesian. Now, by keeping it inviolate, we are to understand here keeping it in accordance with their own-for they will not admit any religion to be orthodox which at all varies from that professed by themselves. If we consult Ecclesiastical History, we shall find that the Church of Rome began, about this time, to err and deviate from her primitive doctrine ; therefore, this unintentional confession, on their part, goes far to prove that the British Church continued to maintain, in purity and simplicity, the "faith which was once delivered unto the Saints," and consequently was different from the Church of Rome.

It is true that corruptions and errors occasionally crept into the Church of Britain, but they were not cherished and preserved in her as essential points of faith, according to the practice adopted in the Roman Church. They were soon discovered to be errors, and the Rulers of the Church exerted their utmost endeavours to remove them as such. Accordingly when Pelagius broached his heretical doctrines, an application was forthwith made to the Church of Gaul for aid to suppress them, in compliance with which, Germanus and Lupus, two eminent prelates, were immediately dispatched over. These divines succeeded wonderfully in checking the progress of the heresy for a time; and when the same plague broke out afresh, Germanus was again invited over, who now prevailed with the civil authorities to banish the Pelagians out of the country. After that St. David was raised as defender of the faith, who, by his laborious exertions, completely extirpated the destructive doctrine, so that not a vestige was left on Augustine's arrival.

I have alluded to this fact merely to shew the watchfulness exercised by our ancestors over the welfare of their Church. Neither were the monastic institutions at this time indicative of any religious decline, or

* Hales's Origin and Purity of the Brit. Church, p. 108.

ecclesiastical abuses; because these establishments were not tainted with the extravagances and corruptions which naturally affected them under the sway of Popery. They were founded with a view to promote learning and piety as well as to supply the Church with competent ministers. The monks gained their own livelihood by cultivating waste lands, with which their establishments were endowed by their wealthier neighbours. They resorted much to prayer and fasting, and their whole demeanour was unimpeached. Indeed the system altogether seemed peculiarly adapted for the turbulent state of the times.

(To be continued.)

MEDITATIONS ON THE FESTIVALS OF THE CHURCH.

THE SEASON OF ADVENT.

IN commencing a series of Meditations upon the Festivals of the Church, we are desirous to draw more attention than, we fear, is generally given to the peculiar structure and nature of her Ecclesiastical system. For we are led to believe, nay, we cannot but fear, that those who profess to be members of her Communion, are either not aware of the propriety and necessity of conforming to the various offices appointed by her Ritual, or being aware of the duty which their connection with the Church requires of them, even in a still greater degree, by refusing to comply with her demands. To such persons much of the beauty of the Ecclesiastical system is lost, and consequently much spiritual advantage is foregone. For the Ecclesiastical year contains a series of Offices of periodical occurrence, many of which follow each other in natural and regular succession, founded upon events which occurred in the lives, either of our Lord or his Apostles. Thus the Church has designed to keep up a continual and devout recollection of the grand circumstances of our Lord's Birth, and Ministry, and Atonement, as well as to hold up to the regard and imitation of all her members, the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, who having followed him in the time of his first Advent, in the regeneration, shall hereafter appear with him in glory, sitting upon thrones, and judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. But when we perceive the indifference and neglect with which such Holy Festivals of the Church are too frequently regarded, and when we contemplate God's house of prayer so little, if at all, attended when these Festivals are celebrated, we may well wonder at the coldness and want of zeal and devotion of these latter days, and be led to fear, that having declined from the old paths which have been trodden by our fathers, our lukewarmness will be severely visited by God, when he ariseth, as we are told that he will one day arise, "to shake terribly the earth."

Feeling, therefore, as we do, that these are eventful days, and earnestly desiring a return to the practice of those times, when the objects of eter nity assumed a higher import; since in the views and esteem of those who wished to be regarded as the servants of God, we propose, with the blessing of the Almighty, and by the aid of his Spirit, to devote, from time to time, as occasion may occur, a little space to some brief considerations upon the principal Festivals of the Church; and accordingly we

commence, as both first in point of time in our Ecclesiastical year, as well as chief in point of dignity and importance, with the first and glorious Advent of the Son of God.

When we refer to the Old Testament Scripture, more particularly to the Prophets and the Psalms, we find every where a dim perspective afforded of the glories of the latter days. Nor is it needful to do more than to allude to the glorious Evangelical Prophet of the Jewish Church, who has described, in terms suitable to the grandeur of the subject, and clear as the narrative of a fulfilled prediction, the Advent, the humiliation, the sufferings, the death, the exaltation and return of Messiah the Prince. To the Prophecies of Daniel, and several of the minor Prophets, of which we cannot now speak more particularly, and throughout the whole of the Book of Psalms, is the same glorious event either darkly adverted to, or more distinctly predicted. For holy men of God spoke aforetime as they were moved by the Holy Ghost; and all the Scriptures testify of Jesus" the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesy." For here, and here alone, was to centre all the designs of Omnipotence, all the plans which had been formed by Divine mercy and love. The darkness was to wear away, the Sun of Righteousness was to arise, the outpouring of the Spirit of Holiness was to follow, and in him, the long-expected and desired, "all nations of the earth were to be blessed." Accordingly, we find that the nearer the canon of the Old Testament Scriptures approached to its close, and the "volume of the Book," under the first dispensation, was to be sealed up for a time, the more frequent, the more plain, the more glowing, and the more triumphant are the predictions of the first and second Advent of the Messiah-the preliminary sufferings and abasement, and the subsequent and complete exaltation of the Son of God. With this view the Prophet Zechariali ushers in his annunciation of the Redeemer's first Advent to his Church, with a note of triumph and admiration: "Rejoice greatly," says he, "O daughter of Zion: shout O daughter of Jerusalem: behold thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass." (Zech. ix. 9.) And we perceive in this prediction, especially referred to afterwards in St. Matthew, in the portion of Scripture which the Church has appointed for the Gospel at the commencement of this holy season, that the most prominent or distinguishing feature which characterised the commencement of the Redeemer's suffering on his last journey to Jerusalem, has been seized upon by the Prophet, under the influence of God's Spirit, to stamp, as it were, the first Advent of the Son of God with its distinct and peculiar features of abasement or humiliation, as contra-distinguished from his second glorious Advent, when he shall "appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation." Here then we see what was the nature and design of Christ's first appearance upon earth-to be an object of reproach and persecution-"to be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" to become a sin-offering or atonement for the sins of the world. Therefore it was that the Lord of Glory, the "Messenger of the Covenant," became an "Infant of Days"-the "despised and rejected of men," that He might "be wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities" and "the Lord might lay on Him the iniquity of us all." Therefore it was, that he came meek and lowly, when ascend

He came

ing to Jerusalem, sitting on an ass and upon a colt, the foal of an ass. All this was emblematical of the design of his first. Advent or appearance. For he came to be a Saviour not a Sovereign or a Judge-he came to preach good-tidings unto the meek-to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the captive-to comfort all that mourn. in the spirit of gentleness and meekness, inviting all to assume his easy yoke, that they might attain rest to their souls. He came to be the instructor of the ignorant and the reclaimer of the wicked-to proclaim a free and a full remission of sins, however great or grievous, by his blood; a full and free redemption to "all, without money and without price," that "whoever will, might drink of the water of life freely." Thus he came, the anointed of the Father and the Friend of man, veiling his celestial glory under the lowly guise of humanity-arrayed in the robes of righteousness and meekness, in the spirit of mercy and of love. And therefore it was that God's holy Prophet summoned Zion to rejoice, and the daughter of Jerusalem to shout, because their King came unto them just (or the just, the perfect, and the holy) and having salvation. And with equal propriety does the Church of God now celebrate this glorious Advent of the Redeemer, and, in the language of the Spirit of God, unite with the Church, in old time, in calling upon her members to rejoice, and to shout aloud, at the appearance of Him who is just, and bringeth salvation. For just as the Church of God then beheld in prospect, and looked forward to the appearance of the great and sole Author of human deliverance, is the Church now instructed to look back to the time when the Messiah "came unto his own, but his own received him not."

But before we conclude these remarks we would shortly advert to the second Advent of the Son of God. The first Advent, we have seen was long predicted, and in the fulness of time was accurately fulfilled; and so also will the second appearance of the Son of Man upon the earth be, ere long, accomplished. It is not our province, nor is it of importance to enquire, as some have done, with respect to the nature and primary design of the second Advent of our Lord. Such speculations must be, in a great measure, uncertain; and while they tend to divert our attention from truths of more vital importance, and which are not based upon any uncertain and unauthorised opinions, do not minister to our spiritual advantage. It is enough for us to know, that the day of the Lord will come, and that the grand design of his second appearing will be not to call sinners to repentance, but to summon all nations before him to judgment. At his first coming the Redeemer appeared " in the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom. viii. 3.); at his second Advent he will appear in the clouds of heaven in great glory, attended by the holy angels. For "God," saith the Apostle, "hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness, and reward every man according to his works" by that man whom he hath ordained, he himself hath informed us, that when" He shall sit upon the throne of his glory, before him shall be gathered all nations to judgment." For "as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after that the judgment; so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin (and not as a sin-offering) unto salvation." Thus it would appear, that the second Advent of our Lord