[British Critic, October 1839.]
Mr. Gresley, in his Sermons on “Zeal and Moderation, preached before the University of Oxford” (Rivingtons), writes like a man who had something to say, which is one of the highest praises we can give a sermon. He understands that at the present moment a great problem lies before our Church, how to be what it once was without ceasing to be what it is, how to adapt primitive principles to existing circumstances without sacrificing the former or overshooting the latter. They are the sermons of an able and reflecting mind, which has attained to great truths and is consolidating its acquirements.
“Sermons preached before the University of Oxford, by the Rev. S. Wilberforce” (Burns), are eloquent and pleasing discourses on practical subjects, which must have been very effective in delivery; they abound in references to the Fathers, a style of preaching suited to, and which we are glad hereby to find sanctioned by, the learned body whom Mr. Wilberforce in these sermons represents.
A very beautiful and useful selection of Prayers and Meditations on the subject of the Holy Eucharist has been published by the Rev. S. Wilberforce, under the title of Eucharistica.
We are glad to find that a new edition of Dr. Field’s Book of the Church is in the course of publication, in three volumes, 8vo., (Bohn), under the able editorship of Mr. Brewer.
The first number has appeared of one of the most important works of the day, The New General Biographical Dictionary, projected and partly arranged by the late Mr. Hugh James Rose, and edited by his brother, assisted by the contributions of many distinguished persons. It is no bad compliment to them to say the number before us was an agreeable surprise. We did not realize beforehand that it could be, at the same time, so comprehensive, and yet so interesting. We will particularize the lives of Abelard, Archbishop Abbott, and his brother, Lord Colchester, Abdel-Munen, and various other Mahometan Califs, Abernethy, Addison, Ælfric, and Adams, the Patriarch of Pitcairn’s Island. The present work proposes to itself a middle plan between manuals and those voluminous biographies which are libraries in themselves; it must be observed, that from the nature of the case, every year takes away from the value of existing works of this class, and increases the call for new ones.
Mr. Benson has published “Discourses upon Tradition and Episcopacy” directed against persons whom he calls “Tractarians.” He says the English Church “is not only constituted according to the Apostolic model, but it has enjoyed that blessing by an unbroken succession from the earliest times;” and that ministers in “Episcopal Churches” are by external call “clearly to be reckoned among the legitimate successors of the Apostles in their ministerial office.” had Mr. Benson but said this six years ago, when there was more call for it than at present, probably he would not be writing against “Tractarians” now. He proceeds to enforce the evils of disunion, and, still, after the manner of the Tracts of the Times, he pleads necessity for the foreign Protestants (vide Dr. Pusey’s Letter, p. 152, &c), and for our dissenters at home the neglect of the Church (vide Tract 86). So far then Mr. Benson walks with the “Tractarians.” He parts with them on the subject of Church authority. His theory of Church authority is this, that “every branch of the Christian Church upon earth has a right to form and enjoin on” its “members whatever it conceives” asserted or implied in Scripture, (p. 3,) and that those individual members on the other hand have the right of disobeying (pp. 4, 5), or partially obeying, according to their private judgment. Here is certainly implied the existence of a difference, not of view only, but of moral principle, between him and his opponents, which, as time goes on, will be more and more developed. It is the point at issue all over the world, that of submission to authority or independence. The question is, “are there any points on which persons are to submit to the authority of the Church before and apart from their own conviction?” The writers in the Tracts answer, Yes, on the points contained in the Creeds; but the ultra-protestants contend that every one must satisfy himself that every truth which he receives is contained in the Bible. Mr. Benson, speaking of the busy layman and unsettled labourer, says, “there must be no absolute surrender of the reason and conscience, which God has vouchsafed to be his guide.” “Every individual Christian is bound, under a sense of the same awful responsibility, to resolve to teach nothing as a minister, and accept nothing as a member of the Church, but that which he is persuaded may be concluded and proved by Holy Writ.” “It is a matter of consideration with every man to determine to what particular community of professing believers he will consent to attach himself or continue to belong.” How melancholy are such statements! It is but the least fault of the principles contained in them that are so very unreal. If it be meant to extend to the doc trine of the Creeds, to which it properly relates, we are bound plainly to avow our conviction, grounded on experience, that it is tempting men to unbelief, to seek for wrong grounds of belief in a wrong spirit, to pull down their own house with their hands, with the foolish women in the Proverbs, in order to build it up with the fragments as best they may.