4

SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

as a fellow-citizen with the saints, and of the household of faith. For that man surely can have no very well founded claims to any pretensions to penetration or piety, who, looking around him upon England, Europe, and the world, should say, he sees nothing ominous in the temper and aspects of the times-nothing to awaken extraordinary expectation in public and ecclesiastical affairs, whether contemplated in a political or religious point of view. Concerning such an one, we are at a loss what to do; whether to pity his gross stupidity and want of common observation, or to weep over his impiety as betrayed in his non-recognition of the wonder-working hand of an almighty providence, in the surprising events which are continually occurring before our eyes. There have been periods in the world's history, when human affairs have seemed stagnant, when society was quiescent, and the human mind appeared to lie like the great leviathan asleep upon the surface of the ocean, when it has been in a great calm. Altogether contrary is the character of the age in which we live. Every thing, now, appears sensitive with life, and energetic in action. This is not the day for the tolerance of drones. An idler in the church or in the world is held in deserved abhorrence. Never were the emissaries of the Evil One more

WAR OF OPINIONS.

5

restless; never were it more needful for the sons of God to be wrought up to a general and zealous assiduity, in behalf of the cause of God and the interests of saving truth." The signs of the times are singularly ominous. In the political, in the commercial, in the ecclesiastical world, "men's hearts are failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming upon the earth." The spirit of restlessness and change, as the genius of the storm which is now wildly sweeping over us, seems to be troubling the whole surface of society, and lashing into foam and fury the agitated and clashing elements of the church and the world; and only HE, whose almighty power once authoritatively said to the angry surges of the deep, "Peace, be still," and immediately there was a great calm, can bring back purity and quietude to a distracted and divided church, or give solace and serenity to an excited and afflicted world.

At the present period, there is a war of antagonist interests, a war of opinions. Theories and principles, both in science and religion, are being tried and analyzed; and every avowed and genuine protestant, as to his religious belief, ought to be able to give scriptural authority for

* See Redford's Sermons on "The Signs of the Times Practically Considered," pp. 5 and 37.

6

IMPLICIT CREDENCE CENSURED.

all his views, a scriptural reason for the hope that is in him, with meekness and fear, and scriptural precedent or precepts for the practices which he pursues. Implicit credence and blind submission to mere sacerdotal authority and usurpation, might do to be passively yielded to popes, and lordly prelates, and tyrannizing priests, in the dark ages of ignorance and papal superstition; but that man must be pronounced of unsound mind, or regarded as the possessor of a very weak intellect, who thus acts amidst the light and liberty of the nineteenth century. For-" we live in an age more wakeful, enterprising, and scrutinizing, than any that has ever risen in the history of nations; and now, whilst many run to and fro, and knowledge is thus increased, the necessary watchword is—' Prove all things, hold fast that which is good.' Hence, a spirit of caution and devout deference to the supreme authority of the Bible is becoming more and more needful every day, in proportion as dangerous heresies increase in potency, and are industriously circulated every where around." * And most insidious and deceptive are the advances of error on this particular subject, and at

* See a Lecture on "Baptism not Regeneration," delivered before the Louth Church-Union Society, by the Rev. A. Paton, M. A., of Queen's College, Cambridge.

CONCEALED FOES OF PROTESTANTISM.

7

this peculiar juncture; for, under the specious pretence of deference to antiquity, and respect for the primitive models, the foundations of our common protestantism are being undermined by men who dwell within her walls; and those who sit in the Reformers' seats, are traducing the Reformation. The doctrines they promulgate are allied to those of the Romish Church, and opposed to the articles of the Church of England. The propagators of these tenets unblushingly speak and write in terms of disparagement in reference to the English Reformers, and of the protestant church generally, and do not scruple to assert "that the Reformation was carried to too great an extent." Accordingly, the desire has been avowed, even by professedly protestant clergymen," to un-protestantise the nation!!"* Therefore, the extraordinary antagonism appa

*The Rev. Mr. Newman, and Professor Keble, of Oxford (the co-adjutors of Dr. Pusey) edited and published the "Sermons and Remains of the Rev. Mr. Froude." This ordained presbyter of the Church of England thus writes, and his editors re-iterate and sanction the following anti-protestant expressions:-" I am every day," says Froude," becoming a less and less loyal son of the Reformation."--" Really I hate the Reformation and Reformers more and more."-" The Reformation was a limb badly set; it must be broken again, in order to be righted."- "Odious Protestantism Reformation shocking indeed!" But hear now, in contrast, what the writers of

8

THE TRACTARIANS.

rent amongst various sections of the church at the present hour is not surprising; for who can view with stolid unconcern the spectacle which the men, who boastingly call themselves "the priesthood of the Church of England," at this crisis of the history of that Church present? A fearful number of its appointed religious instructors are now to be seen, joined arm in arm, deliberately and confessedly walking back (and under the sanction and guidance, too, of episcopal direction) to Roman mummeries, monkish absurdities, and papistical blasphemies and idolatries; yet each retaining and taking with him his full share of protestant temporalities, although trying to cover the retrograde movement with the shout-"The church, the church!"

"The temple of the Lord, the temple of the

the "Tracts for the Times" say in reference to the Popish hierarchy. They respectfully call her "the elder sister of the Church of England,” “ our beloved sister in captivity," our dear elder sister in affliction;" and as if fearful lest the protestants of this country should stray too far from "our dear elder sister," in their tract entitled "Via Media" the following words occur, which are as false as to fact, as they are defamatory in their real tendency." The glory (says the writer) of the English Church is, that it has taken the middle way. It (the Church) lies between the (so-called) Reformers and the Romanists." See Tracts for the Times, Nos. 38 and 41. Thus they laud popery, and revile protestantism.