to stretch out its arm against the independence of that church, which as King of kings and Lord of lords, the only Ruler of princes has declared her to be his body, and Himself its only head.

And as it is commanded that the people shall obey God rather than man, it is lawful and according to the decrees of the eternal God, that we should resist the acting of the civil power, when it opposes itself to his divine ordinances.

The church of Scotland is now really resisting the daring encroachments of the civil power; encroachments not merely contrary to the word of God, but contrary to that express act of union which binds the two countries, England and Scotland; an act which expressly declares the independence of the presbyterian church, granting her full powers in all spiritual matters, for the exercise of which she is now suffering persecution from that very power bound by act of parliament to support her in the full exercise of that authority committed unto her, not merely by the act of union, but by the Acts of the Apostles, and decrees of Christ. And if she now, in the hour of her trial, resigns the headship of Christ, and chooses another as her head, Christ will forsake her in that great day of tribulation which is coming on all the world. Let Scotchmen, then, and their brethren in Ireland and this country, join heart and hand in the present struggle, and woe be to that minister of the crown that will dare to resist them.

Having shown the political, temporal character of the bishops, we shall not have to go much out of the way in setting them down as antiscriptural churchmen, as fond of the good things of time as any of their brother peers, though the one be only called temporal whilst they are spiritual.

Eighthly, If we compare the two Christian bishops, Timothy and Titus, with our Lord Bishops, we shall clearly perceive the vast difference between them, and the antiscriptural character of the latter.

Timothy and Titus were

1st, True disciples and servants of Jesus Christ, Phil. i. 1.

2nd, Men of good report, Acts xvi. 2; 2 Cor. viii. 6.

3rd, Inwardly and really affected to the people of God, 2 Cor. vii. 15; Titus i, 8.

4th, Chosen by the suffrages or voices of Christ's ministers, Acts vi. 3; and xiv. 23.

5th, Itinerant preachers, going from country to country to preach the gospel, Acts xvii. 14.

6th, Diligent labourers in the work of Christ and his gospel, 1 Cor. xvi. 10.

Timothy and Titus, as appears in Scrip

ture

1st, Were not created by any earthly king, prince, or government.

2nd, Were not consecrated by that superfluous personage, an archbishop.

3rd, Did not call themselves, neither were they called lords.

4th, Did not swear canonical obedience to any archbishop.

5th, Did not require any that they did ordain to swear canonical obedience to them. 6th, Did not ask the ministers they ordained, "Will you reverently obey the ordinary ?"

7th, When they ordained ministers, they did not say, 66 Recipe Sanctum Spiritum,' and "Take thou authority to preach the word of God."

8th, Gave no book of articles, canons, or common prayer to those they ordained, nor required any to swear to such things.

9th, Did not interfere with civil or secular affairs; they were neither honourable in parliaments, senates, sanhedrims, or councils, nor worshipful justices of the peace.

10th, Had no stately palaces with thousands a year to maintain them.

11th, Had no archbishop with 15,0007. a year, or bishops, such as London and Durham, with 10,000l. and 8,0007. a year.

12th, Had no ecclesiastical court, where people could be fined and imprisoned at their option.

13th, Had no such officers under them as deans, chancellors, canons, prebends, archdeacons, deacons, rectors, curates, and vicars.

14th, Did not wear mitres and lawn sleeves.

15th, Did not sell livings for money, or give them as portions with their daughters.

16th, Were not given to wine, nor greedy of filthy lucre; not soon angry, not brawlers, self-willed, proud, contentious, and bad examples to the country.

17th, Did not remove from one diocese to another for greater preferment.

18th, Had not under them lay officials enjoying pluralities of livings, without any of the labour.

We shall now reply to one or two objections.

First, It is said, that in Scripture Timothy is mentioned as having been ordained the first bishop of the Ephesians, and that this implies him to have been the sole bishop of that church. That this assumption is of no force, is evident from Acts xx. 28, which is addressed to the bishops of the Ephesian church, clearly confuting the notion that Timothy was the sole bishop of Ephesus. And in Phil. i. 1, we find that Paul addresses himself to the bishops and deacons of the Philippian church. From which we perceive how much credence is to be given to

the idea of Timothy being the sole bishop of Ephesus, and of one bishop only being appointed over each city.

Secondly, It is asserted that Titus was the sole bishop of Crete. Now, this Crete is said to have contained one hundred cities, so that if Titus had been sole bishop, he must have had extensive powers of locomotion, and a mind not to be deterred by trifles. But if such was the case, how was it that Timothy-than whom Paul declares he had no man like-minded-should have had authority over but a single congregation, whilst Titus swayed lordly power over one hundred cities? This would say very little for the wisdom of the apostle in the management of the churches. But that such was not the case, is evident from the passage in Titus already quoted, in which Paul orders Titus to ordain bishops in all the cities of Crete. So much, then, for Timothy and Titus being the sole bishops in their respective dioceses.

In conclusion, then, if the word of God is a perfect rule, from which there is no appeal, it is clearly seen that throughout its pages it most thoroughly condemns the office of Lord Bishop as now established in the Anglican church. There is not a single feature in their office in accordance with that ordained by the Holy Ghost. They exercise a power and control over the souls and bodies of men, condemned by Christ and the primitive church. They hold not the pastoral crook, as a symbol of their office as Christ's shepherds, but of that lordly and political power which they exercise amongst the nobles and princes of the land. Whatever then may be said in regard to Lord Bishops, Scripture can never be pointed to as the authority by which they hold office. Not having one word of authority then from these divine records, are they not antiscriptural bishops?

The dignity they assume makes them as idols in the sight of the inferior clergy; and when such men as the Rev. Hugh M'Neile can descend to flatter, and the meanness accompanying it, what may we not expect from those who are hid from public view by the smallness of their existence?

The Rev. gentleman alluded to, in May or June last, in Exeter Hall, uttered the following fulsome sentence :

"When I sat at the feet of my diocesan, and heard that holy man pour forth words as pure as holy writ."

Only think of calling the common talk of the Bishop of Chester as pure as the inspired word of the living God; and further, suppose the rev. gentleman sitting meekly and reverently at the feet of his diocesan, it would be well worth the price of an Italian Opera ticket to see such a comedy. Such language can produce nothing but thorough disgust in the minds of men whose souls are above the miserable nothings of a flatterer's tongue.

The Whigs have been attacked for menacing the church; but if their offences had not been of greater magnitude than curtailing a few of these lordly reverends' salaries, we think their sins would have been forgiven by the people, and expulsion from office would not have been the result. No; it was by being neither hot nor cold, neither for church nor dissent, that the people forsook them; and, not the last, by the presentation of that infidel scoundrel Owen to the Majesty of England; such an insult to the feelings of the people has met with its reward; and we trust that if ever Viscount Melbourne assumes the reins of power again, he will lay aside those principles so hateful, we are happy to know, to the minds of the great majority of the people.

We have also to state that Roman catholic priests are admitted into the episcopalian church, and received with open arms, without being called upon to undergo the same ceremonies that a protestant clergyman would of the presbyterian church. Thus we see the strong current of popery in this monster establishment, which, while it calls itself protestant, gives every discouragement to that religion, and receives with joyful acclamations the priests of the Man of Sin.

In the words of the great apostle of the gentiles, a bishop and feeder of Christ's flock, not given to wine, or greedy of filthy lucre, we say, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." And in the words of Isaiah viii. 20, "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

Now unto Christ the King of kings and Lord of lords, the leader of the armies of heaven, the sole Head of the church, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, the one God ever blessed, be honour and glory, blessing and praise for ever and ever. Amen.

THE cloud is growing darker and darker over our beloved church; not a day passes but evidence is afforded us that the hand is ready and the heart willing, amongst those in power, to level her with the dust. Confidence in man, now, is vain, and more than vain, it is folly; the head of the Home Department has given painful evidence of his future intentions in the case at Elgin, and it therefore behoves us to be prepared for whatever may come upon us. Again we say, we have nothing to expect from government.

In our last number, we proved the opposition now carried on by the law courts against the church, to be a gross violation of the solemn treaty of union between Scotland and England, and which, if persisted in, would afford a justifiable reason to demand a repeal of our union with England, seeing that our treaty of union with her has been so infamously misused and broken, for the benefit and pleasure of a miserable minority in the country, who, on account, and merely so, of their property and wealth, are allowed to tyrannize over the heritage of our God.

It is now several years since the honourable member for the counties of Cork and Limerick, the present Lord Mayor of Dublin, raised his formidable cry for a repeal of the union between England and Ireland. And to this proceeding he was actuated by the deep and terrible misery which pervaded his native land, the cries of whose inhabitants met with no pity or compassion from an English parliament or an English ministry. His exertions have had partially the desired effect, Ireland having, of late years, engrossed much of the attention of the British ministry and parliament: how to govern that country having even lately occupied not a little of the thoughts of her Majesty's present chief adviser. This evidences the fact, that unless exertion is used on the part of any people, they will never have their wrongs redressed. Would apathy have passed the Reform Bill? would a sluggish indifference on the part of the people at that period, have caused the iron duke to bend, and quitting his seat in parliament, give dumb acquiescence to the passing of the measure? Most assuredly not; and were we to trace the records of past ages, we would invariably find that where the people were active and diligent, and showed a sincere desire of liberty and determination to have such, that no power has been able to resist them. And, on the other hand, where we have seen nations rolling in luxury and idleness, that people enjoyed the least of the blessings of liberty, and were generally

the prey of ruthless and heartless tyrants. And this being the case, are not those people to blame, that nation to be scouted, who submit to a tyranny which they have always in their power to shake off? For our part we feel scorn instead of pity for such a people; their lamentations appear to us as the wretched whinings of cow ardly curs, afraid to use that power and reason that God bestowed on man for the benefit of himself and those around him; and we are certain that, even in the eyes of God himself, a people who do not use their powers to rid themselves of tyranny, are cursed and despised.

But

With these feelings, we turn to our Scottish brethren, and ask them whether their notions on such points are in coincidence with ours? or, whether they prefer submitting to the unjustifiable proceedings of law courts, which deprive them of their rights and privileges; and to the insolence of the home secretary, when they address him in favour of their lawful rights? If they prefer the latter, we have done; to them our words will not convey sweet counsel, but instead, useless, vain, and unprofitable teaching. we hope better things of our countrymen. We have not forgotten the names of Scotland's heroes or Scotland's martyrs; we therefore cannot even imagine that their descendants should have so soon laid aside those feelings, and that intelligence, which preserved their liberties against the Dane, the Roman, and the Englishman. Scotchmen, if such it be, that you have still the hearts of your ancestors, if you still feel determined, like them, to maintain your liberty and rights at all hazards, now is the time to show that love; and a more glorious or more holy cause ye could not have. Your church is threatened; her very existence is in danger; her enemies are powerful, and able to destroy her, if not opposed by her members, as one host, in union, strength, and determination. It will not do to lie waiting to see what this cabinet minister may do, or the other may perform, but it is your duty to buckle on your armour, and keep your lamps burning, that should a foe approach, ye may be ready to go out and meet him.

And

Scotland has had but few champions since the union to defend her liberties, and those have either been cut down, or forced to give up their position through the actual coldness of their own countrymen. Thus, whilst Ireland has obtained attention, and had many of her grievances redressed, Scotland, with the meekness of a lamb, endures the scourge and the heartless scorn of her tyrannic rulers. And now, when she threatens to uphold her head amongst the free

and independent nations of Europe, she is threatened with the vengeance of the law, and the wretched snivellings of the Home Secretary.

Such an

Such is the position in which we find our beloved church and country at the present momentous hour; and if our energies be not strung with the most determined zeal, we shall shortly see our liberty and our church trampled under the foot of Puseyite rancour and hate. That upright statesman, Lord Morpeth, at a dinner given him at New York by the Scotchmen of that city, at the celebration of the St. Andrew festival on the 30th November last, reminded his entertainers of the time when, with the Bible in their left hand, they maintained their religious and political independence with the claymore in the right. allusion to deeds famous in Scottish history, was received with the most tremendous applause, which proved, that even across the broad Atlantic, our countrymen carried their reverence for that Book, which to us all ought to be esteemed more than life. These times appear to be again coming upon us : it therefore behoves us to be prepared, to maintain, as effectually as we did of old, our honour, glory, and liberty. In our Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, and Master of the Mint, we have determined opponents. The former, only a short time since, gave us a sample of his tender mercy and love for us, in the case at Elgin; and this conduct we should have thought sufficient to teach even Dr. Cooke, of Belfast, not to place such implicit confidence in the acts of a government, of which this gentleman forms such a prominent part.

But, most singular, this occurrence does not appear to have influenced him in the slightest; and were it not that we have the highest regard for the character of Dr. Cooke as a man of talent, discernment, and religious principle, we would be very much inclined to believe that either he was truckling to political power, or was allowing himself to be most egregiously befooled. We hope, however, for his own conscience' sake, that neither is the case, but that the honour and glory of God, in the welfare of his church, is the prime motive which actuates him in every action. At the same time, we must be allowed to say that, it would have been but paying a proper respect to the talent and intelligence of that body over which he has the honour to preside as Moderator, if he had, in accordance with their wishes, called the Irish Presbyterian Assembly together to consider the subject, he at the same time stating that it was out of respect to them he had called the assembly, as for himself that he still held perfect con. fidence in the future decision of the government in regard to the welfare of the church.

Such conduct would have been manly and straight-forward, and would have prevented that scandal which has arisen, to the hurt of the church's cause, in relation to the supposed defection of such a powerful advocate as the learned and reverend doctor.

This is no time to act with lukewarmness. There is no concealing the fact, that the government is against us; and the very circumstance that it is chiefly composed of men imbued with the heretic leprosy of Puseyism, ought to be warning sufficient to enlighten the blindest amongst us.

We disavow, once for all, that we are of any political party; we are neither Tory, Whig, nor Radical; but as members of the Scottish church, we feel called upon to come forward in her defence, against whatever party in the state, that raises up its arm against her. As sworn members of that church, we are compelled, by our oath of allegiance to her Great Head, to defend her against all her enemies; and unless we obey her call, when she sounds the trumpet, we are TRAITORS, traitors to Him who alone is to be worshipped and adored, and to whom we owe all allegiance. In the present important crisis, it might be well to state what we conceive will be most conducive to the defence of all we hold dear in time and in eternity.

The Church Defence Associations which are forming throughout the country, are eminently calculated to promote the interests of the good cause in various ways; and that they are likely to prove of vast importance, we have only to look into the organs of Intrusion to find, by their violent abuse of them, that they are good, useful, and highly to be appreciated institutions; in fact, they are the dread of our foes, and the strength of ourselves. Every stigma has been applied to them. They have been denounced as malicious, mischievous, illegal, illiberal; indeed, every epithet which the foul tongue of an intrusion press is capable of promulgating, have been exhausted in abuse of those admirable bulwarks of our church. But there are many things which these societies must set their heads and hands to, or they will not exhibit half the utility we expect from them. The first step they ought to take, is a most important one, and if properly executed, will do more towards the overthrow of Erastianism than all the others put together, and this is, to annihilate the intrusion press. This may appear a rather formidable undertaking, which will take some time and talent to put into execution; but we will point out how the point may be readily accomplished. It is well known that a great part of the provincial press hardly support existence, whilst others are maintained at a dead loss. It is also a very