within the narrow confines of the cloister, it cannot live and flourish long in the more healthy atmosphere of Christian diligence and zeal. "It is remarkable,” as Dr. Pusey himself observed, before he became unhappily a leader of the party which now bears his name, and when speaking of the aberrations of German Theology, that the opponents of these aberrations" were, with a few splendid exceptions, principally the practical clergy, in whom their difficult practical duties perpetuated the sense that something more was necessary than doctrinal speculation."* I believe that happily Puseyism is not much relished by the laity of this country; it appears to be in favour chiefly with the clergy; and we may venture to affirm that, had they been all along or for the last twenty years a "practical" clergy, the plague would never have gained ground among us at all; nay, there is at this moment distress enough in Ireland, to cure effectually the Puseyism of the sister country; would the clergy of both, quitting their insane reveries, and their scholastic systems, set themselves in good earnest, as some have already done, to relieve the present misery of that unhappy country. They would thus prove themselves to be indeed the ministers of a religion ordained" to heal the broken-hearted ;" and which enjoins all its members as their first duty, to "consider the poor," and to "visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction." We should then have no further need of pamphlets about the "real danger of the Church;" for even imaginary dangers would then speedily disappear.

By such means only indeed may we reasonably hope that this, and all other vain speculations, and fond inventions of man, will be eventually put down: viz., by the universal prevalence of practical godliness. In the meantime, it is the duty of all those who put pen to paper to expose with meekness and candour the fallacy, and the "real danger" of erroneous systems. I have accordingly made the foregoing observations not so much on their own account, as with reference to

*Pusey on Rationalism, p. 147.

certain defective views as to the “real danger of the Church," entertained, not by Mr. Gresley or his party, but, what is of far more consequence, by their opponents; and inducing them to take a contracted view of Tractarianism and its baneful results. Indeed I think that a love of retirement, an exclusive attachment to certain party opinions, and an unwise, though conscientious dread of intercourse with general society, professedly Christian, but which they, misapplying the term used in the New Testament in a different sense, are wont to call "the world," has, by narrowing the mind, and closing up the avenues to general information, and extended views of Christian doctrine, prevented a large class of pious and devoted Christians from forming an accurate estimate of the perils which now threaten the Church, whether from friends within or foes without. Although maintaining perhaps theoretically the universality of redemption, they do not embrace it practically in all its grandeur and vastness, as including in extent the destinies of myriads of the human family, nay, for ought we know, of other worlds besides, and as reckoning its days of duration from the first "song of the morning stars," to the "sound of the last trumpet." The speculations of such narrowviewed Christians seem to centre too much on self, or to circulate within the orbit of a neighbourhood or a denomination. But while they are thus contracting their views of doctrine and duty, the destinies of the world are advancing onward with the progress of time; and so they who ought to be the Church's best safeguard, are prevented from keeping watch in the needful quarter;-imaginary dangers are magnified, while real ones are kept out of sight.

To the Evangelical portion of the Christian community the above remarks may not, without good reason, apply. They are, or ought to be, "the salt of the earth," the Church's best protection; and if so, to them it belongs to be especially clear-sighted when dangers threaten. Hitherto, however, throughout the Tractarian controversy, theirs has been a zeal not always according to knowledge.

Viewing the system of their opponents as subversive of doctrines which they justly consider essential, but which they seem somewhat unjustly to regard as their own peculiar inheritance, they have been accustomed to consider the question as one of party importance, without respect to its more general, and more remote, but far more momentous consequences. Hence the almost exclusive outcry in this quarter against Popery, and the Popish element of Tractarianism, as if both systems were formidable only for their superstition. This is one cause of alarm certainly, and a very obvious one, for the Church has suffered too much already from the encroachments of the grand apostacy, not to be seriously alarmed at the slightest prospect of her regaining the ascendancy. But it is not the only one. "Things are not always as they seem." It is one of the wiles of the arch-deceiver, by false appearances of danger, frequently to conceal real ones. The depths of Satan are seldom disclosed at once: indeed they never appear on the surface. Popery has always, even in the darkest ages, proved less formidable as a superstition, than as a mask for indifference and disbelief. And in the present comparatively enlightened age, and in its new dress of Tractarianism, it is still the old enemy, more artfully disguised than ever. He therefore who would protect himself and others from errors now so prevalent in the most momentous of all concerns, must endeavour to unmask it, and expose its native deformity.

Nor are we indeed sufficiently aware, how much is to be apprehended from the undisguised and direct assaults of unbelief. We are apt to forget that it is at once the first and foremost offspring of man's natural corruption, and the root of all sin; that it is the oldest, the most inveterate, the most irreconcilable, as well as the most insidious foe of the Church of Christ.

Infidelity was moreover emphatically the sin to reprove which the Spirit was to be sent. "And when he is come," says our Lord, "he will reprove the world of sin, because they believe not on me." (John xvi. 8, 9.) Infidelity brought the Lord of glory at last to the Cross and to the grave. It occasioned the destruction of the Jewish church and nation, so long the chosen and favoured people of God. It was indeed the chief occasion of the rise of that deadly form of superstition within the Christian Church, of which we have been speaking-the cause, as well as the consequence of Romish error: a subtle principle of evil, ever revolving, and interweaving itself with the most momentous concerns of man, and interposing between him and his eternal welfare.

And how much reason we now have to dread the inroads of this malignant principle, an enlarged acquaintance with the world, with its literature, and with the tone of political and social feeling, especially among the middle classes of society, cannot fail to prove. If we observe closely the character and tendency of all that is supposed to be most influential in the exercise of the human intellect, that most powerful of all secular agencies for the promotion either of truth or error amongst mankind :—if we note the tone of our popular periodical and newspaper literature, and of those graver works, especially of a scientific description, which have secured, and which still retain, general attention and approbation; and if we listen to the speeches and lectures delivered at the various philosophical and literary societies, now so frequent in the country, it will soon, I think, appear that for one sincere convert to Romanism, or even for one whose mind may receive a bias in that direction, thousands are continually exposed to the danger of receiving impressions subversive of the very name and form of Christianity. To say nothing of the metropolis, take as an instance one of our provincial towns of medium population. Twenty or thirty Romanists perhaps, poor, ignorant, and chiefly Irish, attend a Popish chapel.

Twice the number, it may be, of persons from the opposite extremity of the social scale, frequent a Puseyite church; but what are these to the multitudes of the middle, and really influential class, young, enthusiastic, and aspiring, who habitually refrain from attending any place of worship whatsoever, but who flock almost daily (including Sunday) to Mechanics' lecture rooms, and news-rooms, and other kindred institutions, where religion, if not denounced, or treated with open contempt, is at least excluded?

The "Tracts for the Times," and other more popular publications of the party, have undoubtedly their readers, especially those more attractive works adapted for the young; but how few are these compared with the numbers, almost beyond calculation, who devour the practically deistical writings of Dickens, Jerrold, and other popular novelists of the day! The moral influence of clever works of fiction is generally much underrated. Either for good or for evil it is incalculable. And it is scarcely possible to conceive examples more utterly destitute of religious principle, or indeed principle of any kind, than those exhibited in the writings of Charles Dickens. Yet how many are daily forming their own and their children's characters, unconsciously perhaps, upon these wretched, though plausible models? And their number is likely to increase; for it appears that his works are now about to be published at one-fifth of their original cost, and may consequently be expected to find their way to almost every hearth. Infidel newspapers, it is hardly necessary to say, abound; and even German neology, translated into plain English, and sold at a cheap rate, is, as I am informed, circulated very extensively among the humbler classes in the metropolis, and other densely populated districts. With respect to periodical works of a higher order, valuable as they undoubtedly are as journals of science and literature, it is with difficulty that many of them, for example the "Athenæum," can conceal their contempt for serious, earnest piety. Others, again, which 'Chambers' Edinburgh

Journal," to profess respect for religion, and yet think that respect best exhibited by a total silence upon the subject, are not only forming the minds of a large class of readers to be satisfied without religion; but are also by their successful example contributing to create a class of Authors, to perpetuate to future generations a godless and heathenish literature.

Again, if we ascend to works of a more permanent character; Mr. Newman, we find, has published a theory of "development" sufficiently novel to attract attention; and so also has the anonymous author of the “ Vestiges of Creation," once supposed to be his brother; but which of the two is most likely to secure general notice, they who have read both can have little difficulty in deciding, and still less in determining the nature of the impression likely to be made upon the public by each. I am not here speaking of the intrinsic merits of either of these works; both no doubt contain some valuable truth; but of the effect likely to be produced by each upon the minds of general readers; and I think there can be as little doubt of the anti-Scriptural tendency of the one, as there is of the antiProtestant character of the other. And it may perhaps be hereafter said of both, as was said of Semler, the first founder of the German innovating school, that "when, in his latter years, he saw how his principles had been developed by others, he repented that he had gone so far."

Most true indeed it is, that nothing is really to be apprehended from any supposed inconsistency between the advancement of sound literature, or the genuine discoveries of physical science, and the records of Holy Scripture. When both are rightly understood, they will be found to be perfectly reconcileable, and indeed corroborative of each other. But the tone of indifference assumed by scientific and literary men as to whether they are so, or not, it is truly painful to witness; and these include a much larger portion of the gifted class (alas! how misnamed) than the abettors of Tractarianism can boast of. They are however as nothing in point of numbers, when compared

with the sciolists created by means of Mechanics' Institutes, and other like institutions, whose conceit and arrogance, especially in dealing with sacred subjects, is equalled only by their ignorance.

In short, Sir, observation must make it appear that, in the present day, we have less to fear from superstition, even in its worst form, than we have from infidelity, whether in the shape of positive professed unbelief, or what is little better, mere negative indifference. Congenial as Popery is undoubtedly to the natural corruption of the human heart at all times; the intellectual bondage, and subjection of will which it requires, are too glaring to be generally submitted to, in a condition of society like the present-a condition peculiarly of transition-when the masses are just emerging from a state of ignorance to one of comparative knowledge; and are especially jealous of whatever has the appearance of interfering with their independence, either of thought or action. I speak now with reference to the many-to those who are incapable of profound research or absorbing interest in the momentous concerns of religion, but who, while they really take their tone of thought and feeling from the general complexion of the times in which they live, assume to themselves, nevertheless, the privileges of independent thinkers and within this class must be included, I fear, a large proportion of the clergy of this country. With respect to the earnest and thoughtful few, who can both reason, and feel deeply, upon the great subject of man's eternal destiny; and who are likely to have an influence upon their own and future generations; although they may be seduced for a time to unite themselves to Rome, they will not, in all probability, continue in her communion. They will either through Divine grace be recovered from their apostacy, or else will find themselves ultimately obliged to take refuge in scepticism, or positive unbelief.

And here it is that Tractarianism, whether extensively prevalent or not, assumes its most formidable aspect, as I have already remarked; and to this point I now wish particularly to

call attention. In this view, indeed, the subject has been already partially noticed in more than one of the literary journals of the day; would that it had been treated with like discernment by those whom it more immediately concerns. The "Edinburgh Review," a work of course not professedly religious, has alluded to the resemblance, in some points, between the spirit of Anglo-catholicism and that of unbelief. "When, as at present," says the reviewer, "mysticism and scepticism are undistinguishable in outward aspect; and when transcendental orthodoxy, and utter disbelief have learned to speak the same language; it becomes the more necessary to strip them of their disguises." While we are viewing Tractarianism merely as an antagonist system of theology opposed to our own peculiar notions, and dread it solely as the pioneer of Romish superstition, we are in danger of losing sight of its more important influence upon the world in general. We forget that it may be only disguised infidelity, the precursor of a bondage far worse than that of Rome; a bondage which, while it promises liberty allowing the intellect an ample range, including alike the unitarianism of Channing, and the atheism of Comté-really reduces the whole man to the most abject of all thraldom, renders him the bondslave of his own prejudices and passions, and an easy prey to the wiles of Satan.

Extremes often meet in a manner so singular, that we may cease to be surprised at the discovery of a resemblance between forms of error apparently the most opposite. Indeed, the vulgar habit of going from one extreme to another is so universally prevalent as to justify the inference, a priori, that from superstition to unbelief there is but a step. Experience, however, has established the fact. Of this, the late movement in Germany might be cited as a painful illustration. But I shall at present merely refer to Archbishop Whately's remarks, upon the connexion between superstition and profaneness. He adduces Spain as an instance, and cites a passage from "Doblado's Letters," in which the author, in