LECTURE I.

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

Ephesians, ii. 20.

BUILT UPON THE FOUNDATION OF THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETSJESUS CHRIST HIMSELF BEING THE CHIEF CORNER STONE.

IN the verses immediately preceding, and in those that follow the words of the text, the illustrious Apostle of the Gentiles compares the Christian Church, the household of faith, to a splendid building-a vast and hallowed edificethe glorious temple of the Eternal Jehovah, "built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone."

This is indeed a most beautiful allegory, strikingly exemplified, and strongly enforced upon the minds of St. Paul's heathen converts at Ephesus, by the allusion which it conveyed to the great wonder of the world, their own justly celebrated temple of Diana, and doubly impressive and affect

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ing to the Jewish converts resident at Ephesus by the recollection which it excited within their breasts of their own no less glorious edifice, the temple of Jerusalem, "the joy of the whole earth," and the peculiar abiding place of the Infinite and Eternal Jehovah.

Brethren, I may reasonably intend the words of my text as plainly descriptive of not only what the Christian Church at large ought to be, but also of what every well-affected and conscientious member of our own body would wish to believe our national Church to be; I will therefore endeavour to apply the words generally to the great body of principles and practices which constitute some of the essential features of the Church of England. It cannot at any time be an unprofitable labour to endeavour to shew those, who are really well-wishers to this our Zion, the worth and the excellence, the scriptural and Christianlike constitution, of the Church to which they belong. I may be permitted therefore, in the present discourse, to point out to you, some of the peculiarities, and some of the general advantages and privileges of our Church, for you may be assured that they are neither few nor unimportant. As such may you be enabled to store them up in your mind, to be fully sensible of them, and to appreciate them justly; for many of

those, whom we may fairly acknowledge to have shone as "lights of the world," have, after rigid inquiry and examination, come to the conclusion that our Church does indeed rightly claim to be a Christian edifice, "built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone."

The first peculiarity belonging to the Church of England which I shall notice, is one which characterises all Protestant communions, and which is, in fact, the grand distinction between us and the Church of Rome. It is this:-we maintain that ALL WHICH IS NECESSARY TO SALVATION IS CON

TAINED IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES ALONE. We attribute no inspired authority, as the Church of Rome does, to Tradition, or to the Apocrypha; and as to any thing which is not plainly revealed in Scripture, or which may not be clearly deduced therefrom, we attach no more authority to it than we would to any other human opinion. In this respect, the Church of England justly claims to itself the title of being A SCRIPTURAL CHURCH; and such, I have no doubt, it will plainly appear to any one who will candidly and conscientiously examine our Articles and Liturgy, and compare the tenor of them with the plain declarations of the Bible. Nothing therefore can be more incorrect or improper than to style the