attempt to propagate opinions of this latter class by the same medium, and apparently (for it could only, necessarily, be apparently) on the same ground, with the same force, and from the same quarter as the former, which has given rise to all the confusion which we are now labouring under."-P. 2.

And Mr. Gresley, in words beyond his usual vigour and severity, puts this distinction very forcibly :

"I no longer respect the Evangelicals as I used. They have assumed the attitude not only of violent partisans of a defective system, but they stand forth as opponents of those who would raise the Church to her true position; and thus are fast approaching the sin of Antichrist, and liable to the judgment of those who impede the truth.

But there are many also who stand aloof from the contest, who say, There are extravagancies and errors on both sides-we will have nothing to do with either. Such persons, however, I would beg to consider, that the errors of the Evangelicals are the errors of their system; the errors of Churchmen are but the extravagances or indiscretions of a few. In all great contests there is a right side and a wrong. The Evangelical system is defective in itself; and all who embrace it are defective in their views of religious truth. The Church-system, set forth in the Prayer-book, is the true system of revelation, though some who embrace it run into extravagance. This, of course, is too bold a position not to require some farther proofs to support it. I maintain, therefore, that the unsound and defective views, which I have specified as characteristics of the Evangelical party, are shared by all who belong to that party. All Evangelicals are unsound in the doctrine of baptismal regeneration, and in the doctrine of the one Catholic and Apostolic Church. Not one only here and there, but all. All confound the doctrine of the visible Church with the communion of saints; and all refuse to receive, in its true and natural sense, the doctrines of the Church respecting baptism. All, more or less, exalt the doctrine of justification by faith, to the disparagement of other great doctrines, though some more than others. All cry down ordinances, and more or less neglect the fasts and festivals appointed by the Church. It is these characteristics which constitute the Evangelical party. Those who do not hold these views are not Evangelicals. On the contrary, the characteristic feature and connecting link of Churchmen, is a conformity to all the doctrines and ordinances of the Church. It is true that some indiscreet individuals have gone into extremes; but these are repudiated and disapproved of by the great body of the Church-party. So, in the writings of Churchmen, error and extravagances may be found. There are, as I believe, many errors in the Tracts for the Times; but these errors are not received or admitted by the great body of Churchmen. The ninetieth Tract is very generally disapproved of by those who, on other grounds, admire, almost revere, its author, but who think that in this, as in some other cases, his ardent spirit and acute mind have led him into error. I say, then, that the Churchparty, by which I mean the great body who are labouring to restore the Church to her true position, are not responsible for these errors or indiscretions-in fact, disapprove them. But, on the other hand, that it is the errors of the Evangelicals that make them what they are, and link them together in a body."-Bernard Leslie, Pp. 347-349.

"There can be no doubt that a great crisis in the Church has arrived.

tion of some one or more of those he has placed in the second; or of the sentiments of the Tract-writers to which we have alluded in this note.

*The truth of this remark of course depends on the sense in which the party term Evangelical is used. Mr. Gresley afterwards admits, what we rejoice to believe, that many classes among Evangelicals have frankly yielded to the orthodox doctrines on this subject.

The two systems are, in a manner, on their trial before the nation; and it rests on each individual member to decide whether he will aid the good work which has begun, or be found amongst those who vainly set themselves against it, and endeavour, by unworthy means, to check the efforts which the Church is making to restore herself to her true position. For, in spite of all opposition, appearances plainly indicate that a spirit has spread through the land which no force or power can curb-a spirit which, if it may at times break forth with indiscreet zeal, yet it is too deep and true to be coerced. While human nature remains imperfect as it is, the best principles will be carried out to excess, human motives will intrude into the holiest cause; nay, the best and ablest will sometimes act, and speak, and write unadvisedly. Where is the heart or intellect that is without its failings? Still, in spite of the weakness of human advocacy, the cause of Christ and of His Church appears to those who think most deeply more near arriving at a great and wide-spreading influence than it has been for many generations. The alternative is, to remain as we are, or rather gradually to grow worse; for neither churches nor nations long remain stationary. Evangelicalism has had its sway for the last half century; and we see what have been its accompaniments. Schism arrived at such a height as never was before known in the Church; infidelity scarcely less formidable-the mass of the people knowing absolutely nothing of the relation in which, as baptized Christians, they stand to God, and not believing if you tell them; one or two, it may be, here and there, brought to repentance, but the masses lost in worldliness and sensuality. Such is the state-I do not say to which Evangelicalism has brought us, but from which it is utterly powerless to raise us. And never, until this defective system is set aside, and the true system of the Christian Church established in its place-never until the exclusive preaching of the doctrine of conversion be discontinued, and our children are taught from their infancy the relation in which they stand to God as His adopted sons, and the duties they owe Him, and are trained from their youth up in His faith and fear by the holy system which the Church prescribes-never until then will the Church attain her rightful influence as the guardian of the souls of men, and lead them, through the quiet paths of godliness in this world, to the inheritance prepared for those who seek the Lord.”—Bernard Leslie, Pp.

352-354.

Our present business, however, is to introduce this very graceful book to our readers. Mr. Gresley is, emphatically, a popular author: he has the rare talent of writing for the million. No one book—we speak advisedly-has done so much general good, as his Portrait of an English Churchman; he is as clear and real as a mountain stream: his style is the sunny ripple of power, rather than of shallowness, and the hold which he has upon youth, to whom he, for the most part, addresses himself, is in itself no slight praise.

We own that we have hesitated whether fiction is the best, or even a legitimate, vehicle for conveying religious instruction; but facts are better in such matters than theory, and Mr. Gresley's success seems to settle the question; nor is he without very high authority. The scriptural narratives of the Rich Man and Lazarus, and perhaps of the Publican and Pharisee, seem to be precedents for this direct and personal instruction. It is not improbable that such might have been actual occurrences: if not, they are didactic fiction, very different from the common parable; much more strikingif to draw such comparisons may be permitted without irreverence

because much more real. Some of the patristic dialogues between Orthodoxus and his heretical opponent, or even the Shepherd of Hermas, and the fictitious Gnostic of Clement of Alexandria,—and, more exactly, Bilson's Conference between Theophilus and Philander, and Leslie's dramatic controversial Dialogues-seem cases which to some extent approve the principle. Bernard Leslie is scarcely a tale; the plot is of the simplest kind; it is the plain narrative of a clergyman's life, commencing with his preparation for orders-detailing his successes and reverses in his first curacy-his removal to a livinghis marriage (though we are not introduced to the "Light of the Parsonage")-his adventures with his clerical neighbours and his curate and the restoration of his church. We suspect that most of the characters, and they are few in number, are sketches from life. Mr. Gresley excels in this portrait-painting, especially when there is room for a little quiet satire. Who could not from his own acquaintance find the counterpart of the Rev. Watts Flavel?

"Mr. Flavel was at home, but engaged, as his servant informed me, with receiving the report of his district-visitors. If, however, I could find it convenient to wait for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, he would be happy to see me. At the end of this time, the active vicar entered the room with a bundle of tracts in his hand, apologized for keeping me waiting, shook me very kindly by the hand, and then rushed out again, to give some further directions, which in his haste he had forgotten. After about ten minutes more he returned, and said he was much at my service for half an hour (taking out his watch), at the end of which time he was engaged to attend a committee-meeting of the Missionary Society.

Seeing the reverend gentleman so busily employed, I thought it but civil to offer to call on some other day, which he might please to fix, when I should find him more at leisure.

""Leisure!' said he, smiling; 'that is a luxury to which I have bid farewell these many years.'

"I was not aware at the time, though I afterwards discovered, that business, not leisure, was the element in which Mr. Flavel luxuriated. Nothing so much suited his taste as the bustle in which he was then placed. And, in fact, so far, from my visit being an annoyance to him, he was always delighted when an opportunity was afforded him of interesting himself in other parishes as well as his own. One thing in which Mr. Flavel particularly prided himself, was the facility with which he could turn his mind from one important object to another. The district-visitors, with all their paraphernalia of tracts and reports, were banished as soon as the door closed on them, and Mr. Flavel's whole attention was devoted to my service."-Pp. 38, 39.

The way in which Mr. Flavel "huddles up" the doctrine of regeneration seems to us very graphic.

"One day, soon after my admission, [to the Clerical Society,] the subject of regeneration happened to be under discussion; and when it came to my turn to speak, I opened the Prayer-book, to which I was surprised to observe that none had alluded, and, reading some portion of the baptismal service, I stated my impression that there was no doubt that the formularies of our Church were based on the doctrine that regeneration took place at baptism. But I soon found, from the expression of Mr. Flavel's face, and a certain restless movement, as well as from the look of several others of the company, that I had made a mistake, and was taking a course which did not meet

with their approval. Some of the younger clergy, indeed, listened to my remarks with interest; but the elder portion appeared not at all to relish them.

"Scarcely giving me time to finish my remarks, Mr. Flavel, who was the chairman, got up and spoke to the following effect:

"There was no doubt something to be said in favour of the view taken by the last speaker; indeed, there was an apparent prima facie argument for its truth. He said apparent, because he was quite sure, when his young friend had investigated the subject more fully, he would come to an opposite conclusion from that to which he appeared then to lean. The real key to the difficulty,' continued Mr. Flavel, was, that our Church, in calling baptised children regenerate, speaks in the language of charity, which hopeth all things, and believeth all things; she expresses her hope and trust that the baptised person possesses, or, through God's grace, at some future time may possess, the requisite qualification.'

"But-I exclaimed.

6

"Allow me, my dear sir, to finish what I was stating. It is evident, therefore, that we are not to consider all children as regenerate; indeed, we know that a great many do in after-life give lamentable proof that they are not so, by the sinfulness of their conduct. We must, then, as I observed, suppose that the Church speaks in the language of charity, and, in that sense, we may, without danger, use the baptismal service. At the same time, I am ready to confess that I should willingly see some alterations made in the wording of some parts of it, for the purpose of clearing up the difficulty to which Mr. Leslie has alluded; and though the present service, when rightly understood, is not unscriptural or unedifying, yet if a service were to be formed de novo, I am inclined to think that the doctrine would not, in the present day, be put exactly in the form in which it now stands.' "This appeared to me a virtual confession that the language of the present service was opposed to his view; and I verily believe that I should have been bold enough to say so-indeed, the words were on my lips,—but Mr. Flavel anticipated me by saying

"And now, gentlemen, as the time wears on, and all present have had an opportunity of delivering their opinion on the subject of discussion, perhaps it will be agreeable to the company if we adjourn to prepare for dinner.'"-Pp. 63–65.

Though it is satisfactory to find that in the sequel Mr. Flavel himself is "glad to avail himself of the aid of high Church doctrines in a controversy with the independent minister," (p. 298,) and at last, "finds out that the evangelical doctrine of regeneration is quite untenable," p. 307. For, as Mr. Gresley remarks with great truth, "no doubt many of the ablest of the evangelicals have greatly modified their views, or even come round to Church principles, though little disposed to acknowledge the obligation to those who have influenced them," p. 293.

But we are losing sight of our friend Bernard Leslie. He enters the Church as a man biassed to no school or party; indeed, as he frankly owns, with very inadequate theological training, with a competent knowledge of the sacred text, and having gone through a comparison with Scripture of the whole of the Prayer-Book; but profoundly ignorant of the works of the fathers, or of the reformers, or of modern writers. He commences his labours without that sort of ardent zeal which is so becoming to a minister of the gospel, yet nevertheless he was not without a conscientious desire of doing his

duty, and imparting all the good he was able to his parishioners. Now, though all this is not very high ground, it is just the truth, or was so, with nine clergymen out of ten; and, for a time, things go on pretty smoothly with the young curate. He becomes popular, dines with the squire, drinks tea with the farmers, and diligently visits the cottagers in sickness and in health.

But he soon finds that "all is not gold that glitters: " unchanged sinfulness among his flock at home, apathy and irreverence in church, the little influence of preaching, in changing the life of his hearers the delusion of supposing that, because men profess their faith in Christ, on a death-bed perhaps, all their sins will be done away, and His righteousness imputed to them,-these things make him uneasy, and at length the truth flashes on him, that there is something radically defective in the management of his parish. So, very prudently, he seeks advice from his seniors; and calls on the Rev. Watts Flavel, to whom we have already introduced our readers. Mr. Flavel sympathizes with the disheartened curate, suggests preaching Christ crucified," and tells him that the simple christian scheme is, "Only believe, and thou shalt be saved." Poor Bernard does not remember the text; it were strange if he had done so; but he willingly admits that faith in Christ is unquestionably the primary doctrine of the gospel.

"But then,' he asks, 'surely there is much to come after that-holiness of life, for instance?'

"Oh, undoubtedly; that will come of course.'

"But my grand difficulty, Sir, is, that it does not come of course.'

"That only proves that faith is not genuine,' answered Mr. Flavel, with great readiness."-P. 41.

Mr. Leslie is not at all satisfied with this explanation; yet in deference to his friendly adviser he opens his school for a Thursday evening lecture, and confines himself to the doctrines of the atonement, justification by faith, and one or two others, commonly designated as evangelical.

This for a time answers wonderfully: the dissenters come to church, and Bernard thinks he is fast making converts, though "it did not occur to him that it was very possible he might have been going over to them, instead of them coming to him," p. 45. But an unfortunate allusion to infant baptism scatters his new allies; for,

"If clergymen preach dissenters' doctrine, dissenters will come to Church when it suits their convenience. But once touch on their peculiar errors, and you see them no more. They come to judge, not to be judged." And our friend is soon left to his old congregation, "and even they were not so attentive and regular as they had been. They used to hear something worth hearing, they said, every Sunday, but now it was the same story over and over again."

The rector of the parish, non-resident from ill health, soon puts a stop to this week-day lecture in the school-room; but had it not been for the discussion on baptismal regeneration at the clerical meeting,