thrice welcome, all praying people, and ye only, into the bosom of the Presbyterian Churches! We love you as much as Dr. H. fears you. You are alone qualified to obey with comfort to yourselves, the commandments of God; "Walk about Zion, and go "round about her; tell the towers thereof. Mark «Ε ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces, that ye may tell it to the generations following." This is

the text of Dr. H's sermon.

The contents are, Introd. The king of Israel rejoicing in the local Zion-Zion is the Church-more excellent than the local Zion-Consecration of places of worship a duty-This house in Newark now holy-The principal glory consists in the services performed in it.

Subject of discourse.-The excellence of the Episcopal Church.

Arrangement of matter.-The Doctrine-Ministry -Ordinances of worship.

I. Doctrine includes two parts: Practical pointsand Theoretical opinions.

1 Part.-Practical points respect the meritorious cause of the sinner's acceptance with God-the merits of Christ; the conditions of the sinner's acceptance-repentance, faith, and good works; strength by which these are performed the grace of the Holy Spirit.

2 Part.-Theoretical opinions-the result of pride and presumption, respect predestination, redemption, free-will, grace, and perseverance.

The principal proof of the excellence of the Church is, her opinions about these five doctrines. Predestination is not of persons to eternal life; but of communities to be Episcopalians. Redemption is not of Christ's sheep; but of all the human race. On freewill, the Church's excellence consists in believing, that

man is indisposed, but not unable to make himself holy; far gone, but not quite gone astray; his natural corruption deserving, but never receiving punishment; and free-will is a co-agent with grace, and much the better agent of the two; because it produces the effect. Grace is never effectual in altering the will; but free-will alters itself by the aid of grace. Perseverance, there is no such thing. Free-will may dismiss grace at pleasure; and then, even an Episcopalian, who has been regenerated, and sanctified, and elected, may fall into hell fire, and there remain for ever and ever.

"Thus, then," adds the preacher at the close of the discussion of the doctrinal part, "we have reason "to be proud of our Zion."

II. In her ministry.

The excellence is in the prelacy; and the proof is twofold; usage, and the powers ascribed in Scripture to Timothy, Titus, and the angels of the Asian Churches. The perfection of the system is, its combining the many, "under one supreme" head; a bold idea, according to which popery must be the perfection of prelacy.

III. Ordinances and worship.

Baptism administered in this excellent Church has efficacy. It effectually regenerates every one who receives it, with the very same regeneration which Simon Magus had; a regeneration altogether distinct from the renewing of the Holy Ghost. This is its excellence. Confirmation, excellent, being sanctioned "by usage." The Supper, excellent; an "oblation-the spiritual body and blood of the Redeemer." The Liturgy excellent, supported by the authority of Christ-practice of the Jews-and primitive

usage.

The Ceremonies all excellent.

After this discussion and proof of the subject, the preacher makes the following reflections:

The church is evangelical-Separation from her is causeless and dangerous-Attachment to her is right.

The concluding sentence is in these words" To whom, &c." This conclusion is by no means remarkable for its elegance.

To the Sermon are added several notes, consisting principally of extracts from Laurence. The quotations are made for the purpose of explaining the author's sentiments; and are accordingly sanctioned by his approbation. He is therefore responsible for

their contents.

(To be continued.)

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

000

DOMESTIC. ·

A Letter from the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, to the Churches under their care; accompanied with a plan adopted by the Assembly for the establishment of a Theological School, intended to increase the piety and learning of Candidates for the holy Ministry, as well as to procure a larger supply of Ministers, for the wants of the Churches.

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian church in the United States of America, to the churches under their care.

DEAR BRETHREN,

AMONG the various objects which have engaged our attention in the course of our present sessions, one of the most important is, the plan of a Theological Seminary, proposed to be established, in some convenient spot within the bounds of our Church. This plan, so far as it has been matured, accompanies the present address, and solicits your serious consideration.

We trust, dear brethren, it is not necessary to employ much argument to convince you, that the time has arrived, in which some new and vigorous exertions are indispensable for increasing the number, and raising the qualifications of candidates for the gospel ministry in our Church. When you are reminded, that the progress of population is going on in our country in a ratio at least three or four times greater than the increase of the number of ministers;-when you are apprized, that we have near FOUR HUNDRED VACANT CONGREGATIONS within our bounds; that the frontier settlements, as well as many large and important districts in the interior of our country, are, every year, calling upon us for missionary labours, which we are not able to supply; and that there is no prospect that any means of relief yet devised, will be

sufficient to preserve many parts of the Church from a most distressing famine of the word of life; we trust you will perceive the absolute necessity of using our utmost exertions for sending forth more labourers into so great a harvest.

We feel persuaded, that, if the plan which we have adopted can be carried into vigorous execution, it will tend, under the divine blessing, to increase the number of candidates for the holy ministry. If we are enabled, by the possession of suitable funds, not only to afford a more complete and ample course of instruction in theology than has been, heretofore, in ordinary cases, attainable; but also to afford this instruction gratuitously, to those who are themselves destitute of adequate pecuniary resources; we cherish the hope that these facilities will be the means of drawing into public view many ingenious and pious youth, who are at present, either discouraged from making the attempt to gain an education for the ministry, or not properly awakened to the loud and importunate demands of the Church.

But further; such a seminary as that which is now proposed, is not less calculated to improve the education, than to increase the number of candidates for the sacred office. Without some provision of this kind, it is, in most cases, utterly impossible to bring forward candidates for the ministry with that furniture and those qualifications for their work, which the state of society now renders in a great measure indispensable to their respectability and usefulness. It is to be hoped that we shall never cease to consider vital and experimental religion as the first and most indispensable qualification in every candidate for the holy ministry. All attainments without this, would unquestionably be, not only inadequate, but pernicious. Yet it must also be admitted, that piety alone cannot qualify a man to be a teacher of the gospel; especially in circumstances where the literary and scientific attainments of many avowed infidels, and the general improvement of almost all descriptions of people, will render it impossible for the religious teacher to maintain weight of character, and permanent influence, if his knowHedge be scanty, and his literature circumscribed. The minister himself, in such a situation, will feel, and be disconcerted by, a sense of his inferiority, and will neither speak with confidence in himself, nor in such a manner as to beget and preserve confidence in the minds of others.

Influenced by these considerations, it has been the universal custom of the Protestant Churches in Europe, and of none more than of that Church from which we derive our Vol. III.-No. VIII. 30