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THE

BRITISH AND FOREIGN

REVIEW.

ARTICLE I.

1. An Index to the Tracts for the Times: with a Dissertation, etc. By the Rev. D. CROLY. Oxford, Vincent: London, Hatchard. 8vo. 1842.

2. The Church of the Fathers. By the Rev. J. H. NEWMAN, B.D. Oxford, Parker: London, Rivington.

3. A Letter to the Bishop of Oxford, etc. By the Rev. J. H. NEWMAN, B.D.

4. A Letter to the Rev. Dr. Jelf. By the Rev. J. H. NEWMAN, B.D.

5. A Reply to Mr. Newman's Letter to Dr. Jelf. By AMBROSE PHILLIPPS, Esq.

6. The Holy Eucharist a comfort to the Penitent. A Sermon preached before the University of Oxford, by E. B. PUSEY, D.D., Regius Professor of Hebrew. Oxford, Parker: London, Rivington. 1843.

THAT the remarkable religious movement which has characterized the history of the English Church during the last few years should have attracted general attention, and called forth much excitement in the first instance, is no more than might have been expected; but that, after a lapse of some years, when the novelty has worn away and the original exciting causes have in a great degree ceased to act, the controversy should still continue to occupy a considerable and almost daily increasing share of public attention, can only be regarded VOL. XVI.-No. XXXI.

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as a proof that its real springs and sources lie deeper than might at first sight appear.

A mere affectation of external peculiarities in the service of the church, or an extreme assertion of certain high and mystical doctrines, it might be supposed, would not be of a permanent nature, the temporary excitement would cool down, the exacerbation of religious zeal would die away; more especially if we speak generally, without regarding a few confessedly extreme cases. But this in fact has proved to be no merely transient outbreak of religious fervour; it has exhibited a steady systematic advance in the propagation of certain broad fundamental principles; the adoption of which, whether accompanied or not by all the external peculiarities alluded to, has continued to strengthen its hold on a very large and influential party both among the clergy and laity, in spite of many discouragements, and the operation of many counteracting causes. All this distinctly shows that the principles which lie at the bottom are more general and efficacious than a superficial glance would lead us to imagine; that this system exerts an influence far more powerful than one confined to a mere maintenance of external forms of service, a revival of obsolete ecclesiastical practices, a doting attachment to mystical dogmas, or a fond veneration for ecclesiastical antiquity.

That public attention should be most easily and commonly drawn to such outward indications and subjects of controversy is to be expected. Men, even of the educated and comparatively thinking class, can with difficulty be brought to inquire steadily into abstract questions of religious truth h; their attention must be arrested, and their interest excited by some striking outward change or grand revolution in opinions; and it is even then chiefly in the practical and palpable consequences which are forced upon the notice of the world that any real concern is awakened: a comparatively slight extravagance, or more manifest innovation in externals, excites discussion, and enlists zeal on either side in the conflict; when opinions, which struck at the root of all just principle, if they showed themselves in speculative discussion only, might remain utterly unnoticed. Thus a comparatively trivial abuse, the sale of indulgences,-a mere offshoot and ap

pendage to the absolving power of the church, and of trifling importance compared with the enormities in principle on which the whole system was founded,-was the immediate cause of the Reformation. Men who were incapable of appreciating the iniquities involved in the very essence of ecclesiastical tyranny, were startled at an abuse of this tangible nature, which came more within the grasp of their apprehension.

Thus, at the present day, the increasing prevalence of the high principle of church authority might long have remained unnoticed, or have been discussed only by a secluded circle of theologians; but since instances have occurred in which this system has been pushed to some of its legitimate consequences, Protestants have begun to catch the alarm, that Popery is nursing within their very sanctuary; and a dread, which the propagation of the grossest errors in theory could not inspire, is excited in the minds of the many by the occurrence of some rather more open adoption of practices which they interpret as a tampering with Romanism, some introduction of a form or an observance which they construe into a "revival of Popery." Those who feel totally unconcerned whether their faith be really founded on the Word of God or the invention of men, are roused into alarm if tapers are lighted on the altar, or a priest reads his discourse in a surplice: those who are utterly apathetic to the grounds of scriptural truth or of Christian salvation, recoil with horror and amazement when they hear of the invocation of saints, auricular confession, or prayers for the dead. All this, however, has its use in directing at least some portion of thought to the subject. However ill-founded those particular apprehensions may be, we cannot help trusting that, by means of these, if not by higher considerations, a spirit of more general reflection has been called forth, and whichever way it may tend, this is the most hopeful symptom of the whole case.

But more especially is it a matter of triumph, that those who are the most desirous to repose in undisturbed security upon old established principles, are roused from their supineness when they find it is but the following out of those very principles which has led to all the extraordinary results among which they now find themselves entangled: they are forced to find an answer to the question,-are we now to

adhere to "the old paths," or are we to adopt apparent novelties in order to go back to others pretending to be still older?

Yet many who support these tenets in substance, contrive to evade such questions by avoiding too exact an adoption of the outward form; and while one section are distinguished by pushing to the utmost extreme, which they can possibly reconcile with a nominal conformity to a Protestant church, the various dogmas and ordinances which result from or are necessary to the high view of church authority, they find their main support in those auxiliaries who decline to follow them in their excesses, and even disavow many of their tenets. Yet these firmly uphold the same main foundation in ecclesiastical authority and Catholic truth; and approve in practice of many observances conceived in exactly the same spirit, even while they would avoid giving offence by too prominent a display of them.

The more comprehensive principles, on which the whole question is really based, include all the shades and varieties of what are called High Church opinions. The tangible controversies of crucifixes and vestments, of postures and penances, are mere superficial indications of the current which flows beneath. It is to the origin of that movement which bears these lighter matters on its surface that we are now desirous of directing attention, of showing the fundamental importance of the question, and its immediate bearing on matters of paramount and universal concern.

In discussing this subject, we might take a certain portion of the multifarious writings in question, and having extracted a farrago of detached passages, containing the strongest expressions and most startling announcements, offer these as proofs of their fearful tendency, and thus excite alarm for the safety of the Protestant faith; but we believe our readers will have seen enough of this style of argument, and will be more likely to turn away in pure disgust than to derive any additional conviction from extracts thus put before them. We shall therefore content ourselves with reviewing the general tenor and spirit of the system, and endeavouring to exhibit in a prominent light those primary and fundamental considerations to which we have alluded; in doing so we shall once

for all refer to the admirable Index,' named at the head of this article, because it will precisely supply the references which we do not give. On each topic then of which we treat, we request our readers to turn to the word in the Index,' and they will find abundant evidence which they can verify ad libitum by going to the original volumes. In the dissertation, annexed to the Index,' there is also an able discussion of the chief points in controversy, which has the unusual merit of putting the main substance of the argument into a short compass. Indeed the most ample elucidations of the real nature of the system may be collected from most of the publications of this party, even where they are directly engaged in the more minute details of the subject; but, as we have said, into these details we do not enter. With respect to the doctrinal bewilderments of Dr. Pusey, who is now as it were hors de combat, under the ban of the most orthodox university, we will merely observe-that his far-famed sermon, which we have named above, is in fact nothing more than a farrago of extravagant assertions, without a shadow of argument, and, after all, containing nothing more than has been brought forward already in ceaseless repetition both in the Tracts and other writings of the school; as also by many of the older writers of the Anglican church, from whom he annexes sixty-four pages of extracts. He affirms, as all the sect do, in the most positive terms, the actual identity of the consecrated elements with the real body and blood of Christ, therein agreeing exactly with the Romanists. That the particular manner in which this takes place is an impenetrable mystery, is again equally admitted by both parties: the whole difference between them is, that the Roman Catholic uses the word "transubstantiation" to express the mystery, the Anglo-Catholic rejects it. The deeper subtilties of Mr. Newman, so far as he thinks fit to disclose them, are partially unveiled in several of his publications; it being the characteristic of his style to afford a very different meaning to each different grade of intellect among his readers. In our general reflections perhaps the reader will find some clue to explore those depths; and as we hope hereafter to continue this subject, we believe it will then be the more proper time to follow up still further these reflections. At

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