all doctrinal error, superstition, and ecclesiastical tyranny, must be met, if met at all successfully, by a bold and uncompromising exposition of Christian truth and Christian liberty. I will now append to these observations a few gleanings from "Toplady's Historic Proof of the Doctrinal Calvinism of the Church of England," a work replete with interesting facts, witty and vigorous argumentation, and wholesome Christian instruction. "As the Church is now internally constituted, her Calvinism is impregnable; while she lives, this is immortal. The Legislature have it, indeed, in their power (God forbid they should ever have the inclination), to melt down her Liturgy, Homilies, and Articles, and when her component particles are severed by state chemistry, to cast her into the Arminian mould: but until this be really done, all the artifice of man will never be able to fix the banner of Arminius in the citadel, how daringly soever some of his disciples may display it on the walls. Our pulpits may declare for free-will; but the desk, our prayers, and the whole of our standard writings as a Church, breathe only the doctrines of grace. "Several respectable men have reduced themselves to a state of pitiable embarrassment, in attempting to disprove this, during and since, what has been properly enough denominated, the ecclesiastical reign of Archbishop LAUD. Had that prelate been a Calvinist, and had the Calvinists of that age joined hands with the enemies of civil and religious liberty, the Calvinism of the Church of En. gland would probably have passed uncontested to the present hour; but that prelate attached himself to the new system (and it was very new indeed) of Arminius'; and, which weighed still more against them in the Court balance, the Calvinists were friends to the civil rights of mankind; they (observe, I speak only of the doctrinal, not the disciplinarian Calvinists) were steady to the true religious and political constitution of their country. They opposed with equal firmness, LAUD's innovations in the Church, and Charles' innovations of civil freedom. Unhappily for both the nation and the church, and no less fatally for himself, Charles, nurtured in despotism, deemed it his interest to support the Arminians for purposes of state."-I shall have occasion, in the progress of another essay, to trace this evil to its source. More gleanings in my next; meantime, believe me, Dear Sir, your's, faithfully, I AM favoured with two letters, the former of which brought 107. for the poor. The Lord return it in special blessings on yourself. I am now daily calling on my heavenly councillor to provide me a curate, telling him I am unable to find, or to choose one, but he is able to do both; and though I am running much to his door, on this errand, he will not be offended: sometimes an anxious thought creeps into my bosom, and weigheth me down, but I send it off to Jesus. He is willing to take, and able to bear all burdens that are cast upon him. My curate cannot help being glad at having a living of his own, but he is himself in no haste to be gone, and our sorrow will be mutual at parting whenever it be. There is, I perceive, a horrible fear, that he and his partner will be poisoned, but the fear comes too late, for the mischief is done already. Richards' loins are well girt with truth, and his heart upright and steadfast: his partner also accords well with him. I could wish the purchased living might be at some good distance from Pharisaic friends; however, Christian faith must be tried, to prove it genuine. From what you write about Mr. Dyke, he seems not designed for me. If not settled at Cottingham, his intended wife would scarcely like to travel so far as Everton. I am rather sorry when candidates for the ministry are preparing to get into petticoats, before they get into orders. On Saturday, I wrote to Mr. Venn, acquainting him with my speedy want of a curate, and desiring him to inquire among his Cambridge friends about Mr. Dyke, or any other that might seem suitable. But indeed I am not very fond of College youths, they are apt to be lofty, and lazy, and delicate, and few of them might like to unite with such an offensive character as mine. I should think a youg man from the Hull academies might suit better, but my thoughts are not worth a groat, and when they embarrass me, I throw them into the lap of Jesus. I am glad your dear sister is removed from a frosty world, into a better region, where Jesus, precious Jesus, makes eternal spring and sunshine. Troublous times are coming, I fear, but two things comfort me, the Lord reigneth, and my life is growing to its close. The ninth of January is appointed for my journey to London. The Lord accompany me thither, with his presence, protection, and blessing. May Jesus give you all you wish for yourself and your children,-hearts full of faith and love, and a life adorned with good works. Thus praying, I remain, your much obliged and affectionate servant, -000 JOHN BERRIDGE. To the Editors of the Gospel Magazine. ON SCRIPTURAL ORDINATION. MESSRS. EDItors, You will oblige me by informing "Rusticus," that I have a great aversion to correponding with anonymous writers, and if he will take the trouble to read my little tract, "The True Church of God," he will there see my views of ordination. I would that God's ordination were more regarded and preached, then all other ordination would soon find its proper level. Ordination, as used in the real churches of Christ, is no more than a public recognition of a christian pastor or bishop, who takes the oversight of a Christian Church organized upon scriptural prin. ciples; and wherever more than this is pretended, and power or authority is supposed to be communicated, the mark of the beast is worn, and the door is thrown open to all the wickedness of the Popish succession scheme, which has done more injury in the Church, than all the hostility of her open enemies. Scriptural ordination is of use to preserve the Churches from impostors, for a preacher must be known as a man of character before the existing pastors or bishops will publicly associate themselves with him; but, in the particular case which Rusticus describes in your February number, page 61, where neither the organization of a church, nor the association of Christian pastors or bishops is practicable, for the time being, I see nothing in the word of God. to forbid the disciples of Jesus breaking bread with one another in commemoration of his death. It is plain to demonstration, that the system of ordination which professes a line of succession from the apostles, is the invention of priestcraft, and has ordained more Infidels than Christians, perhaps fifty to one, and in my opinion it would be better to abandon that service altogether, than to encourage the monstrous absurdities to which, in that form, it unavoidably tends. Nevertheless, ordination, when scripturally ministered as a public solemn marriage between a Church and its Bishop, it is both a reasonable and spiritual service, tending to mutual comfort and to the preservation of order. Praying that all whom Christ has chosen and ordained may go and bring forth fruit, I remain, Messrs. Editors, Your Brother in Christ, Camberwell, Feb. 18th, 1839. ·000 JOSEPH IRONS. To the Editors of the Gospel Magazine. A TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF DR. PECKWELL SOLICITED. MESSRS. EDItors, MENTION was made in your last number, in a letter of Mr. Berridge's, of the name of Dr. Peckwell; I have heard my late deceased father speak highly of him as an eminent minister of the Gospel, imbibing the sentiments of the old school of divinity, and being remarkable popular in his day, his auditors consisting of overflowing numbers whenever he preached; and being a gentleman of independent fortune, like his cotemporary Mr. Madan, he gave his labours gratuitously, if I am rightly informed. It is to be lamented that there is no Memoir ever written to my knowledge of this truly excellent man, and if any of your readers can furnish the public with only a few traits of his character in your publication, which contains the cenotaphs of many good men, would, I am certain, be a satisfaction to some of the honoured few, who have survived him, and are now alive. Wishing you every blessing from the fountain head, I remain, most unreservedly, Wood Farm, Sussex, Yours, AMICUS. A NOTE OF THE EDITORS. We join with our much respected friend, and are desirous with him, and have often wished many years past, and lamented also, that we never saw any token of respect published of this highly distinguished character. We can only account for the omission, but on this point, namely, upon a great relaxation of vital godliness. Just about his time, there was an attempt to unite men of the most discordant sentiments together in one bond of union. After Mr. Toplady's decease, several clergymen formed what they called an Eclectic Society, which was ably descanted on and exposed in this Magazine, forty years since, by the elegant and nervous pen of Richard De Courcy, the Vicar of St. Alkmonds. William Romaine did not long survive the confederacy, and from those days to the present, the outward profession of religion has increased a hundred fold, and as George Whitefield used to say, woe be to the time when religion walks in golden slippers, and is fashionable, then the essential doctrines of faith will be treated with derision, and the dispensers of the truth as it is in Jesus, held up to contempt. Christianity will be as a veil to hide the deformity of error and infidelity. Never since the first promulgation of the Gospel, has there been such an influx and increasing tide pouring in upon us, of such immense swarms of devotees. Our spiritual teachers in our little island are computed to be not less than one hundred thousand; bibles and tracts have been distributing all over the country, particularly for the last twenty years, like flakes of snow in winter, yet never were wickedness, error, schism, and doctrines impugning our most holp faith, so prevalent and prevailing, as at the present period. Our wise men of Gotham cannot understand it, and they are now aroused to a pitch of frenzy, and are determined to go forth with their sledge hammers, to break the knotted oak. But alas and alack a day they are not in the secret, that though there be many devices in a man's heart, the counsel of the Lord standeth Education will not accomplish it, it may put a white garment over a cadaverous body, but it will never renovate the heart. The bible, even if there be curiosity to peruse it, will not remove the obduracy of the human will, there must be a faculty given to digest the words of eternal life, otherwise they will be but sure. dead letters. Nor will the preaching the Gospel prevail, for unless the Spirit of God open the understanding, it will be a savor of death unto death. Here our ghostly teachers are puzzled, and this makes them talk such absurdities and contradictory sentiments in their pulpit addresses. They try by might and main to make the strait gate wide, and the narrow way broad, as to have an expansive entrance to eternal life, so that the whole world may come in; this is their jargon, but the record of God cannot be altered, many are called by his outward dispensations, but few chosen; it always has been and will be a remnant according to the election of grace, yet when aggregated together, a number, which no man can number, out of every nation, kindred, and tongue. We solicit indulgence for this out of the way excursion, and just observe, that the highly exalted character mentioned by our correspondent, Amicus, we had the honour, privilege, and happiness, of hearing the glad tidings of salvation harmoniously vibrating from his voice during the course of his ministry in London, which was about sixteen years. He was truly an Ambassador of Christ, and his ministry has been blest to a great number, which has been attested at various times and occasions. There was that consistency in his preaching so as to be in perfect union with the scriptures, insomuch as the infidel casuist had not a word of reply, and which left the Pharisaical religionist without a covering to hide his nakedness, and at the same time building up the believer in his most holy faith and confidence towards God. The splendour of his personal merit as a public speaker arrested the attention of all who heard him, and it may be said of him, as of that illustrious Roman, who owed nothing to any meritricious help, "Videtur ex cenatus.' He was the son of himself alone, a new walk of pulpit eloquence, peculiar, and standing thereon, he was in full possession of himself, and quite at home, as the following incident will illustrate. Preaching at Covent Garden church on an Advent Sunday, the morning services of the church were read by three clergymen, which they on the delivery extended to an unusual length. Before he gave his text, he addressed the congregation by observing, that should be detain them longer than the usual time, to remember it was then ten minutes past one, it would not be his fault. Ashe proceeded in his discourse, he caught the risibility of one of his auditory, and made a full pause for a few seconds, and said, I have been depicting, in a measure, the depravity of the human heart, and have now an instance of that before me, for while I am discoursing upon our Lord's second coming to judgment, some of my auditory cannot restrain their levity.-Sir, when you meet me at God's awful bar, will you laugh then? This pointed reproof went as a shock of electricity through the congregation. Mr. Garrick was present on the occasion. The servant of God, the subject of this inquiry, was ever alive and abounding in his master's service, and where a door was open, |