have they considered the rite, that they have neglected it altogether. Now, as we fear that persons who are careless about religion, and think of no interests beyond those that are worldly, may deem the bare act of registering their children's names quite sufficient, and so omit baptism, we write to exhort all who would obey God, and act faithfully towards the children committed to their care, on no account to deprive them of an ordinance which has the solemn stamp of Divine authority, and to which there are annexed many and great blessings. Baptism was instituted by Christ, the divine Founder of our holy religion it was made by him the door of admission to his visible Church: it was the rite that distinguished his disciples from the unconverted pagans; and in precisely the same light it is to be viewed now. We are not warranted even to call ourselves Christians unless we have been baptised into the faith of Christ: we are out of the pale of the Christian Church until we have been received into it by that rite of Divine appointment; and therefore, if you neglect that sacrament in the case of your dear children, you fail to place them where only you have reason to expect the communication of heavenly blessings; and Christians as you may wish them to be, you are really bringing them up in a state of heathenism.

We trust that you will weigh well your duty in this respect, and look on baptism as an important means of grace; as a very solemn religious ordinance, the due observance of which is connected with your children's highest interests, both in this world and in that which is to come. We warn you, most affectionately, not only against neglecting that rite, but also against the impropriety of using it as a mere matter of form. Take heed to the spirit in which you approach it: much, very much, depends upon that. The service of our Church supposes a pious disposition on the part of parents and sponsors; and if you always brought this right disposition along with you, and presented your children with faith and prayer to the Lord, what a blessing would attend the administration of the sacrament! We hope that you will do

So.

Attend first to personal religion, and then you will not fail to implore the Divine blessing on your offspring, to secure for them the possession of every Christian privilege, and to "bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." The instruction of the rising generation in this parish, in the pure principles of the Christian faith, is with us a matter of the deepest solicitude; and we earnestly entreat you to attend to it, in your family circles, as a thing of the very first importance.

The second point upon which we are desirous of offering a remark or two, relates to the ceremony of marriage.

The new act, as we have already stated, allows you to regard it merely as a civil contract, without bringing a single religious consideration to add its solemn and binding authority to its performance. Against this we protest, as taking away from the institution of marriage that sacredness of character with which God, its divine Author, invested it: and we confidently appeal to you, whether, having the choice of forming the most important of all earthly relations either within the walls of a sacred edifice, where you solemnly call God to witness the deed, and have the prayers of the Church put up for a blessing upon you; or in the office of a civil registrar, where the stroke of a pen and the payment of a fee, unaccompanied by any thing of a religious nature, will give all the validity necessary to marriage, you will not prefer the long-established mode, and adhere to the practice of your fathers. It was to ease the consciences of those who could not conform to the orthodox creed of the Church of England, where we invoke the Divine blessing, on the parties concerned, from the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, that the alteration was made, sanc

tioning marriage without the appendage of religious obligations. But we trust that you, who wish to have that act sanctioned and blessed by the God of the Bible, will not refuse still to bow the knee in the church where you have been taught to worship, and before Him whose name it is your duty to adore: recognising God in all you do, and imploring his blessing on every undertaking, you will have that smile which will make your path prosperous; whereas if you put Him aside, and take a step so important in its consequences as that of forming a matrimonial connexion, without any reference to the Divine will, or any prayer for the Divine blessing, that which you look to as a source of happiness may prove one of misery. No human law can make marriage merely a civil contract-it rests upon a Divine law, and is religiously binding on the consciences of all who engage in it. Bear this in mind; and as you value religion, which is the only sure safeguard of the morals of a country, do nothing to sanction the least departure from it.

These are the points which a sense of ministerial duty urged us at the present moment to bring forward. We wish not to oppose the law of the land, but only to uphold the supreme law of God. If you follow our advice, you can act upon the one, without disregarding the other. Give us credit for purity of intention-believe that we are sincerely anxious to lead you in the right way; and may God give you grace to follow our instructions.

Before we conclude, we wish to inform you that, with a view to your edification and "growth in grace," we have thought it well to devote an hour or two, in the middle of each week, to that more friendly intercourse between minister and people than can be had in the stricter services of the Sabbath, and which we feel assured your spiritual wants require. To these meetings we carnestly and affectionately invite you All who are "religiously and devoutly disposed" will there, we trust, find what shall conduce to their spiritual well-being. Unite your prayers with ours that the Spirit of God may come down and water abundantly the "parched ground," and give success to all our undertakings. Let us see you attending on the ministry of the Gospel; let us see you walking in the paths of righteousness," adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things;" and at the final day, when we shall meet at the same bar, may we be partakers through Christ of the same blessedness. "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy."

We are, much-respected Parishioners,
Your most faithful and devoted servants,
THE MINISTERS OF THE PARISII.

February 1st, 1837.

MANY ARE CALLED, AND FEW ARE

CHOSEN.

"MANY are called, and few are chosen." These words of our Saviour are very hard to be understood; and therefore it is not good to be too curious in them, as some vain fellows be, who, seeking carnal liberty, pervert, toss, and turn the word of God after their own mind and purpose. Such, I say, when they read these words, make their reckoning thus, saying, "Need I mortify my body with abstaining from all sin and wickedness? I perceive God hath chosen some, and some are rejected. Now, if I be in the number of the chosen, I cannot be damned; but if I be accounted among the condemned number, then I cannot be saved; for God's judgments are immutable." Such foolish

From Bishop Latimer,

of thine own flesh, which ever fight against the Spirit, and to live uprightly and godly, after the will and commandment of thy heavenly Father. If thou go thus to work, surely thou shalt be heard. Thy sins shall be forgiven thee: God will shew himself true in his promise; for to that end he hath sent his only Son into this world, that he might save sinners. Consider therefore, I say, wherefore Christ came into this world; consider also the great hatred and wrath that God beareth against sin: and, again, consider his great love, shewed unto thee, in that he sent his only Son to suffer most cruel death, rather than that thou shouldst be damned everlastingly.

Consider, therefore, this great love of God the Father, amend thy life, fly all occasions of sin and wickedness, and be loath to displease him. And in this doing thou mayst be assured, that though thou hadst done all the sins of the world, they shall neither hurt thee nor condemn thee; for the mercy of God is greater than all the sins of the world. But we sometimes are in such a case, that we think we have no faith at all; or if we have any, it is very feeble and weak. And therefore there are two things: to have faith, and to have the feeling of faith. For some men would fain have the feeling of faith, but they cannot attain unto it; and yet they may not despair, but go forward in calling upon God, and it will come at length: God will open their hearts, and let them feel his goodness.

And thus may you see who are in the book of life, who are not. For all those that are obstinate sinners are without Christ, and so not elect to everlasting life, if they remain in their wickedness. There are none of us all but we may be saved by Christ; and therefore let us stick hard unto it, and be content to forego all the pleasures and riches of this world for his sake, who for our sake forsook all the heavenly pleasures, and came down into this miserable and wretched world, and here suffered all manner of afflictions for our sake. And therefore it is meet that we should do somewhat for his sake, to shew ourselves thankful unto him; and so we may assuredly be found among the first, and not among the last: that is to say, among the elect and chosen of God, that are written in the counting of God, that are those that believe in Christ Jesu, to whom, with God the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory world without end. Amen.

Biography.

THE LIFE OF DR. DANIEL TEATLEY.*

DANIEL FEATLEY, or Fairclough, was the second son of John Featley, sometime cook to the president of Magdalen College, Oxford. He was born at Charlton, in Oxfordshire, in March 1582. He was educated at the grammar-school adjoining Magdalen College, where he was a chorister, then admitted scholar of Corpus Christi in 1594, and probationer-fellow in 1602, being then bachelor of arts. He soon after proceeded M.A., and gained very great credit for the manner in which he performed his exercises. He then applied himself wholly to the study of divinity, and became profoundly learned in the fathers, councils, and school

See his Life by his nephew, John Featley, and Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy.

men. His renown as a preacher, a scholar, and a disputant, was now so great, that Sir Thomas Edmonds, being appointed ambassador to the court of France, made choice of Featley to accompany him thither as his chaplain. In this service he spent three years, and was considered to have reflected much honour on the English nation by his contests with the most learned papists and doctors of the Sorbonne. He evinced in these discussions talents so remarkable, that even his opponents could not forbear giving him the titles of acutissimus and acerrimus [most acute and most shrewd].

On his return to England, he repaired to his college, and took, in 1613, his bachelor of divinity's degree. Soon after, he was presented, by a gentleman, who had been one of his pupils, to the rectory of Northill, in Cornwall. But he was scarcely settled in his new sphere, when he received an invitation from Abbot, archbishop of Canterbury, to become his domestic chaplain. Accordingly, he repaired to Lambeth, and received the rectory of that parish in exchange for Northill. In 1617, at the archbishop's desire, he was made doctor of divinity. On this occasion he so puzzled Dr. Prideaux, the professor, with his arguments, that a quarrel began, and the primate himself was forced to interpose. Antony de Dominis, archbishop of Spalatro, was present, and was so pleased with Featley's acuteness, that, being then master of the Savoy, he gave him a brother's place in that hospital. Soon after, Archbishop Abbot presented him to the rectory of Allhallows, Bread Street, which living he subsequently exchanged for that of Acton, Middlesex. He was also made the third and last provost of Chelsea College. During his residence at Lambeth he held several disputations with Jesuits, and was once admitted to a scholastic contest with the king (James I.)

In 1625, having married a short time previously, he retired from the service of the archbishop, during the great plague of that year, to Kennington, where his wife had a house. At a period somewhat later, he is said to have incurred the displeasure of Archbishop Laud, by a passage in one of his books relating to St. George. For this he was compelled to make a humble submission. From 1626 he entirely laid aside his polemical divinity, and devoted himself without reserve to the study and practice of piety and charity.

But on the breaking out of the civil wars, Featley had his full share of persecution. This was the more remarkable, because he was a distinguished champion of Protestantism, a man of moderation, in doctrinal views agreeing with the puritans, and esteemed but a little while before one of their special favourites. His conscientious attachment to the Church, however, was held to be reason sufficient to authorise the treatment quartered at Acton, when they understood that the he endured. In Nov. 1642, a party of soldiers, being

rector was precise in his obedience to the canons and rubrics, came to the church, broke open the doors, defaced and profaned the interior, pulled down the font, destroyed the windows, burned the railing in the chancel, declaring at the same time, that "if they had the parson there, they would burn him with his popish trinkets." They were very solicitous to take vengeance on the church Prayer-book; but that a child of Dr. Featley's family conveyed out of their reach. These zealous reformers also took care to plunder as much of his property as they could. Therefore they lived at free quarters in his house, drank and ate up his provision, and burned down his barn full of corn, together with two stables.

In the following February, they committed the same, or indeed worse outrages at his other living of Lambeth: for on Sunday, the 19th of that month, five soldiers came armed to the church, with the resolution, as it seemed, of murdering the doctor. He had left his house to attend the service; but was saved by a timely intimation of his danger. The ruffians, however, disappointed in meeting him, wreaked their

malice on the assembled congregation, one of whom they mortally wounded, and shot another dead upon the spot; declaring, that if they could but get the doctor, " they would chop the rogue as small as herbs to the pot, for suffering pottage (that was the contemptuous appellation they bestowed on the book of common prayer) to be read in his church." Others, in yet more disgusting language, vowed that "they would squeeze the pope out of his belly."

In spite of this outrageous conduct, Dr. Featley had the courage, a Sunday or two after, to appear again in his pulpit at Lambeth, and, observing some of the sectaries at church, openly to declare his opinions: for which, three mechanics of his parish preferred articles against him to the committee for plundered ministers. As he passed to and fro to this committee, he was not only hooted at by the mob, but was twice in actual danger of his life from personal violence: this he represented to the chairman, and requested protection; but was coolly told by that functionary, that he knew nothing of the matter, and was bade at once to make his answer to the charges.

These charges were very frivolous and absurd. They were chiefly to the following effect, that he had preached in favour of bowing at the name of Jesus, in defence of the surplice and organs, and against extempore prayer; that he had railed-in the communion-table in his Church, and refused to administer the sacrament to those who did not come to the rails; that he seldom preached, and yet pressed hard for his tithes; that he would not lend money to king or parliament; and that he had said that the whole tenour of the Gospel was against that which was preached, in almost every pulpit in London, by those who incited the people to bloodshed and battle. These accusations were most of them false or exaggerated: for instance, whereas he was said to preach very rarely, he proved that he had been a constant preacher for thirty-two years both in England and France, besides being a voluminous author; and that within the last year, he had preached either twice or thrice every week, though he had been engaged in writing annotations on all St. Paul's epistles, and in answering the treatise of a popish priest. But the committee refused to hear his witnesses, and to admit his evidence, (an injustice, as he observes, never committed by the Star-chamber,) and at once proceeded to deprive him of his living. This, however, was a case of wrong so glaring, that the House of Commons refused to sanction it; and Featley was for some time longer permitted to retain his benefice.

Dr. Featley had been appointed a member of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, where he distinguished himself, and was commissioned to undertake the works alluded to above. While he was thus attending the assembly, he received an intimation from the king (Charles I.), to whom he had been chaplain, that his majesty was displeased at his being a member of that body, and forbade him any more to appear there. According to some accounts, this message was merely a stratagem of Featley's enemies to silence him. But be this as it may, he wrote an answer to Archbishop Usher, through whom the intimation purported to come, which answer was intercepted and copied, with several additions, to be laid before the committee of examinations. The real contents, it would seem, after explaining to the king the reasons of his conduct, were only to consult the archbishop on some points of doctrine, to acquaint him with certain proceedings of the assembly, and, on account of his being in straitened circumstances, to request his interest with the king, that he might be appointed to the vacant deanery of Westminster. This application was, to say the least, ill-timed, as it furnished a kind of pretext for the severities now exercised on Featley. He was abused by the public press as a spy and traitor, expelled the assembly, committed prisoner to Lord

Petre's house in Aldersgate Street, plundered of every thing, deprived of his two livings, and, to complete the mockery of justice, the articles which the house had previously refused to sanction, were now revived, and ordered to be read in Lambeth church, as if they were the ground of the sequestration.

Dr. Featley was not idle in his imprisonment. He preached constantly every Sunday to his fellow-sufferers, till forbidden by Pennington, the mayor of London. He also employed himself in writing. One of his works composed at that time was in answer to a popish challenge. To this he wrote a reply, at the command of the House of Commons; though, even for this, they were with difficulty prevailed on to allow him, under special restrictions, the use of his own library, which had been promised to the person who succeeded him at Lambeth. His enemies shewed thereby both their respect for and their fear of Featley's talents.

Afterwards a report was spread that he was turned papist. He had incurred afresh the hatred of the anabaptists, by a treatise entitled "The dippers dipped;" and they resorted in revenge to this atrocious calumny. Featley replied to it by a manifesto from his prison: "For my judgment and resolution in point of religion, I profess, before God and his holy angels, and the whole world, that what I have heretofore preached, written, and printed against the errors, heresies, idolatry, and manifest superstitions of the Romish Church, I believe to be the truth of God; and that I am most ready and willing, if I be called thereunto, to sign and seal it with my blood." And then, because he understood that men were now insulting the episcopalians, and demanding "where are they now that dare to stand up in defence of the Church hierarchy, or book of common prayer, or any way oppose or impugn the new intended reformation, both in doctrine and discipline of the Church of England? I do here protest," says he, "that I do and will maintain, by disputation or writing, against any of them, these three conclusions, viz. :

'First, that the articles of religion agreed upon in the year of our Lord 1562 by both houses of convocation, and ratified by Queen Elizabeth, need no alteration at all, but only an orthodox explication in some ambiguous phrases, and a vindication against false aspersions.

"Secondly, that the discipline of the Church of England, established by many laws and acts of parliament, that is, the government by bishops (removing all innovations and abuses in the execution thereof),is agreeable to God's word, and a truly ancient and apostolical institution.

Thirdly, that there ought to be a set form of public prayer, and that the book of common prayer (the calendar being reformed in point of apocryphal saints and chapters, some rubrics explained, and some expressions revised, and the whole correctly printed, with all the Psalms, chapters, and allegations out of the Old and New Testament, according to the last translation,) is the most complete, perfect, and exact liturgy now extant in the Christian world."

It does not appear that any one was bold enough to accept this challenge, Featley's talents and learning being too well known and appreciated. He continued in his prison, till, through the hardships he suffered there, he fell into a dropsy; and then he made his petition to the parliament, backed by his physician's certificate, that he might be permitted to remove to Chelsea. It was long before this poor request was granted; but at the beginning of March, 1645, he was allowed, on giving good bail, to repair to Chelsea for six weeks. There he spent his time in piety and holy exercises; but, instead of recovering, he grew daily worse and worse. At length, perceiving that his end was near, he made his will. This document commenced with the following words:

"A model of an intended will, to be confirmed and executed if ever peace return upon Israel. First, for

my soul, I commend it to Him whose due it is by a three-fold right; my Creator, who infused it into me; my Redeemer, who freely ransomed it with his dearest blood; my Sanctifier, who assisteth me now in the greatest and latest assaults of temptation. As for human merits, I renounce them all, accounting nothing in this kind more truly honourable and meritorious than the contempt of all merits; according to that of St. Bernard, it suffices for merit to know that merits do not suffice.'"

The next day he made a confession of his faith to certain friends, adding, "that the doctrine which he had always preached, and the books which he had printed against anabaptists and other sectaries, were agreeable to God's word; and that he would seal the Protestant religion, as it was established by the acts of three pious princes, with his blood." He then declared his abhorrence of the covenant, and proceeded, with reference to Church government: "I dare boldly affirm, that the hierarchy of bishops is most agreeable to the word of God, as being of apostolical institution, the taking away whereof is damnable; and that by consequence both the Presbyterian and Independent governments are absurd and erroneous, neither of them being ever heard of in the Church of God till of late at Geneva; nor is there so much as any colour for them in holy writ. It is evident, that as the priests in the Old Testament were above the Levites, so in the New the apostles were above the disciples; and that the seven angels of the seven Churches in the Apocalypse were seven bishops; and that Polycarp was bishop of Smyrna, and Timotheus of Ephesus. And for the laity, no pregnant proof can be produced that they ever meddled with the priests' function, or had any power to ordain ministers. And these things (said he) I intended to have published to the world, if God had spared me longer life; which I might through his goodness have enjoyed, had I not been unjustly imprisoned."

The following day, April 17, 1645, was the last day of those six weeks which had been allotted him. On that day, feeling himself just upon the threshold of eternity, he prayed very earnestly against the enemies of the Church; and then, with many heavenly ejaculations, he commended his soul into the hands of his faithful Creator, and apparently departed. Just then his nephew came in, and found him, as he was told, dead, but could not be restrained from administering a restorative, and imploring him to speak once more. Dr. Featley opened his eyes, and breathed forth the lamentation, "Ah, cousin H., the poor Church of God is torn in pieces." "More," adds his biographer, "he said not, but sweetly and gently

groaned out his wearied and fainting spirit, and resigned his soul into the extended arms of his merciful

Redeemer."

Dr. Featley was a man of prodigious learning, and of true piety. In his natural disposition he was kind and courteous, but most resolute and zealous when he felt himself called upon to dispute for the truth. His doctrinal sentiments were, as I have before remarked, much in unison with those of the Puritans; and he so far complied with the current of the times, as to be a witness against Laud-conduct which those who read his evidence will hardly justify;-yet he was faithfully attached to the Church of England, and for this attachment he suffered. His remains were honourably interred in the chancel of his church at Lambeth.

S.

THE JEW THE CHANNEL OF SALVATION:
A Sermon,

BY THE REV. THOMAS MYERS, M.A.
Chaplain to Lord Viscount Lorton.*
JOHN, iv. 22.

"Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews."

THE form in which the Almighty has been pleased to convey wisdom for the soul adapts itself in every way to the sympathies and capacities of mankind; and this we deem no slight proof, that the Author of our religion knew "what was in man." Had the doctrines which we had been required to believe been condensed into a series of logical propositions, arranged with the accuracy of philosophical disquisition, then would the belief demanded proceed solely from the head, without, in any degree, affecting the heart; and were all the duties of the New Covenant stated and enforced with the precision and the awfulness of the ten commandments under the Old, then would our obedience be the offspring of our fears, instead of being the spontaneous produce of our love. In this respect, as well as in others, the law, in its rigour, came by Moses, but "grace," as well as truth, by Jesus Christ. The whole aspect of God's dealings with men was changed when he walked this earth-the Minister of the new dispensation. The pomp of wealth, and the pride of power, he entirely set aside. He lived from day to day as an heir of poverty, holding companionship with fishermen and toll-gatherers sympathising, in every way, with the toils and weariness of the poor, as he walked to and fro from Judea into Galilee; for at one time we find him the companion of the stern and roughly clad prophet of the desert; at another we meet him resting his attendants were gone to some neighbourthrough fatigue near a well in Samaria, while ing village to procure his morsel of bread. And when a woman of the country comes out at even to draw water, He, who had driven with authority the money-changers from his Father's Temple-He, who had just conversed on lofty things and stirring with one of the chief council of his nation, disdains not to ask of a Samaritan a cup of cold water. And in doing so he intended it to lead to further conversation. He came to seek and to save those who were lost; and well he knew that, unless he sought diligently the stray sheep of the fold, they would never of themselves come back across the pathless desert. Hence he threw himself at once into the habits of feeling and of acting which were peculiar to the poor of a land; and

Preached before the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, at their chapel.