be selected for this interesting purpose, and let the collections made after the respective services be divided equally among the three Societies. And I would suggest the expediency of taking advantage of the occasional visit of any of the colonial bishops or clergy to this country to engage them to perform this pleasing duty. It would make the connexion between the colonial churches and our own more visible than it is-awaken our respective sympathies, and strengthen our common bond of union. And surrounded by adversaries, as the Church of England unhappily is, can we act a more friendly part by her; better prove ourselves her true disciples, or afford better evidence that we desire the increase of that pure religion in which, step by step, she has nurtured us, than by lengthening her stakes and strengthening her cords, that she may stretch herself on the right hand and on the left, and impart to all men, even to those who revile and persecute her, some spiritual blessing? Can we adopt a wiser or a better course than that of making her three principal institutions the sober means of at once extending her own salutary influence, and of maintaining and propagating the gospel in all its purity? It is only by the blessed influence of Christianity, that a better state of things, either among ourselves or in the world at large, can be expected to arise; and it is only by prayerful perseverance, in the precise means which our societies employ, that that influence can be extended. Most powerful, therefore, are the motives that should prompt us to vigorous and instant exertion in this sacred work; and let us not draw down upon ourselves the Divine displeasure, either by hesitating to set about it, or by "doing it deceitfully." "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches." In conclusion, I have only to express an anxious hope that we shall all, bishops, pastors, and people, and especially those of the metropolis, be led to see the policy, as we cannot but acknowledge the duty, of commencing a new year with more zealous exertions in behalf of our Societies, and a more determined resolution to diffuse, to the widest extent, their beneficial influence. And may our labours be blessed to ourselves and to others, and the fostering hand of the Almighty be stretched out to defend the Church of England in all dangers and difficulties, and preserve her a praise and a blessing in the earth! I remain, Sir, Your faithful servant and constant reader, X. P. S. Within the few weeks which have elapsed since the above observations were penned, the position of the Church of England has undergone a change. And though the Royal Commission which has been appointed promises to do much for promoting the general efficiency of the Church, and extending her benign influence, yet I conceive that her members are more urgently than ever called upon to exert themselves in her behalf, and to muster their forces in her defence. And, therefore, I would urge, with renewed earnestness, the necessity of our affording every possible support and encouragement to the institutions which the Church is willing to associate with herself in the great work of" winning souls to Christ." ON TRANSUBSTANTIATION. MR. EDITOR,-You are doubtless aware that the Protestant argument against the doctrine of Transubstantiation, drawn from the analogy between the expressions, "I am the door," and "This is my body," has been opposed on the part of the popish controversialist, as, for example, Mr. Maguire, in his dispute with Mr. Pope, by an absurd cavil. It has been affirmed, truly enough, that if our Saviour had laid his hand upon a door, and said, "I am this door," we should then have been convinced that no figure was intended, and that his meaning was literal. They who advance this indisputable assertion, signify by it, that the sentence, "This is my body," is analogous to "I am this door," and not to "I am the door;" and that as "I am this door" would be literal, therefore "This is my body" must be also literally understood. I have never seen this quibble fully exposed in its naked absurdity and I have been at some pains to do it justice. Our opponents seem to me to have bewildered themselves with the use of the demonstrative "this." They appear to think that its presence in both of the sentences, "I am this door," and "This is my body," stamps them with analogy. The fact is, it does no such thing. Analyzing these few words, and leaving the disputed doctrine for a moment out of the question, which we are at liberty, or rather, are bound in strict propriety to do, I observe, that the predicate and the subject of the proposition," I am this door," are both definite terms. "I" represents, definitely, the speaker, and no other person; and "this door" represents the door laid hold of, and no other door. Taking the words by themselves abstractedly, they can signify nothing else. But not so with "This is my body," taken thus abstractedly. It is evident that the subject here is not a definite term, as the subject in the other sentence. "This is my body" may signify simply, that this which I touch is my body, or this, which you see is bread, is my body. It may mean one or the other; it may mean, only, this is my body, or this bread is my body; which latter meaning is certainly figurative. As far as the bare abstract form of speech is concerned, it may admit of either of these two interpretations. The first sentence, "I am this door," admits of but one interpretation: "This is my body" is capable of two. So far, then, the two sentences are not analogous, and we are not to be restricted to only one interpretation of "This is my body," by there being only one construction to be put on "I am this door.' And as there is a choice of interpretations in the words "This is my body," we prefer that which is alone agreeable to reason, experience, and the rest of Scripture; and declare that "This is my body" signifies, This bread is my body, and is figuratively its representative. I imagine that I have looked so narrowly into the popish argument, that even Mr. Maguire might be satisfied that he has been hastily committing a gross sophistical error; and though our faith is not to be overthrown by a cavil of this nature, yet as the Romanist depends much upon it, and cannot be supposed to renounce his absurdity till it is reduced to something like demonstration, I hope my attention to this matter will not be without utility. I am, Sir, DAVID'S LAMENTATION OVER SAUL AND OVER JONATHAN HIS SON. (2 Sam. i. 19-27.) Αι αι Λειψύδριον προδοσεταιρον Ολους άνδρας απώλεσας Μαχεσθαι τ' αγαθους και ευπατρίδας Scolion Ap. Athenæum, quoted by Lowth. Συ γαρ μου τερψιν εξειλον βιου. Euripid. Alcest. 345. How are the mighty fall'n!—yea, fall'n in Israel's bright gazelle,*- • Gazelle." The beauty of Israel," A. V. “ Glory," Matthew's Bible; and thus Lowth (Prælect. xxiii.), and Castellio. Dathe translates the word ('13) “ caprea." So Geddes, and after him Mr. Smedley (in his Saul at Endor), "Antelope." Every reader will immediately recal" The wild Gazelle on Judah's hills," of Lord Byron. The remark of Dathe, that the term is applied to a hero, “propter pulchritudinem suam corporisque agilitatem," suggested the epithet "bright." Compare 2 Sam. ii. 18; 1 Chron. xii. 8; in both which places the word is by the LXX. rendered "Sopkas;" and at Isaiah xiii. 14, "орkadlov." Here, however, the Septuagint Version is very different. « Στήλωσον Ἰσραὴλ ὑπὲρ τῶν τεθνηκότων,” is one reading; that of the Vatican MS., which Schleusner explains thus, “Erige Israeli columnam,' h. e. monumentum s. pyramidem in eorum memoriam perpetuumque monumentum. Hoc nempe honore sunt dignissimi." (Lexic. Vet. Test. Vol. III. p. 105.) Another reading (the Complutensian Edit.) is depiẞaoai, or dкpíßaσov, for which the Vulgate gives, "Considera Israel pro his qui mortui sunt;" and Castellio, in a parenthesis, "Considera, O Israelita, qui in tuis fastigiis cæsi occubuerint." The Vulgate afterwards, in rendering the passage according to the Hebrew, has "Inclyti," whence the Douay "Nobles." "Ergone magnanimi heroes, decus Israelis." Lowth. + Yours be no fair and spotless lamb, &c.-Comp. Lowth's Latin Version (Prælect. xxiii. ad fin.) "Nor fields of offerings," A. V. after the LXX. and Vulgate. "Neque rore neque imbribas, ut arva eximia, perfundamini"-Castellio. "Vos o agri sacri quos nempe coli nefas erat"-Michaelis. "Nec sacræ e vobis oblationes offerantur"-Dathe. In vain with oil anointed! So Lowth. Nequicquam heu! sacrum cui caput unxit onyx." Dathe has "frustra oleo uncti," sc. Sauli. "As though he had not been anointed with oil."-A. V. with Vulgate and Castellio. Rosenmüller conceives that it was the shield which was anointed, or rather that the leather was rubbed with oil. Oh! very pleasant were their lives, in one sweet stream that ran, Weep, maids of Israel, weep for Saul, where stark he lies and cold, For thee-whose life was life to me, whose spirit made me glad. W. J. B. MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS, From the unpublished MSS. of the late Rev. S. Isaacson, B. A. 1719, Rector of Frickenham. Continued from Vol. XVI. p. 755. POPERY.-King Henry II. received upon his naked body eightythree lashes from the monks; was five times slashed by the Bishops; watched and fasted a day and night at St. Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury's tomb. This penance was enjoined by the Usurper, Pope Alexander III.!! In the church of Canterbury were formerly three altars, one dedicated to CHRIST, another to the BLESSED VIRGIN, and the third to the aforementioned St. Thomas. History tells us, that the people's zeal towards the last person was so hot, as to offer at his shrine, in one year, £954 6s. 3d.!!! but to the Blessed Virgin their offerings amounted to no more than £4. 1s. 6d.! and to CHRIST-nothing at all!!!! The said Thomas was stabbed in his own cathedral church at Canterbury. Monkish rhymes about him— "Aqua Thomæ quinquies varians colorem, In lac semel transiit, quater in colorem. Alas! my brother Jonathan, for thee my soul is sad.-Compare with this Catullus, Carmen. 65, 68. Alloquar? audierone unquam tua facta loquentem? Nunquam ego te, vitâ frater amabilior, Aspiciam posthac ?—At certe semper amabo, Accipe fraterno multum manantia fletu, Atque in perpetuum, frater, ave atque vale. + Surpassing woman's love.-After this the Vulgate introduces "Sicut mater unicum amat filium suum: ita ego te diligebam;" which the Douay of course repeats, "As a mother loveth her only son, so did I love thee." Ad Thomæ memoriam quater Lux descendit, Non Ego.'' S. I. DISSENT. Dissenters are factious (unless under a usurper), fanatical, unlearned, unordained, rebellious, and unreasonable men; disloyal, and ever disobedient to their lawful king; enemies to all decency and order. I am utterly against a comprehensive Bill, because-1st. 'Tis below the dignity of the Church to alter laws, and change settlements, for the sake of schismatics, whom it is much better to keep out of the Church than to bring into it, since a faction would thereby arise in the Church. 2dly. Because, if something were now to be changed in compliance with the humour of a party, as soon as that was done another party might demand other concessions, and there might be as good reasons for the latter as the former. 3dly. Because many such concessions might shake those of our own communion, and tempt them to forsake us, and go over to the Church of Rome, pretending that we changed so often, that they were thereby inclined to be of a Church that was constant and true to herself. 66 NAMES.-Pharaoh was a common name to all the kings of Egypt. Hannibal, a child of Canaan, or Cham, cried out, Agnosca fatum Carthaginis. (Livy, lib. 27, in fini.) Lugere non desinam donec me sepulturæ demandetis." "I will not cease to mourn, till you lay me in my grave." Moses, i. e. saved from the waters: for Mã, it seems, in the Egyptian tongue, signifies "water," and "ons, "saved." Justin, speaking of Moses, says, "Forma pulchritudo commendabat." MARANATHA, i. e. papàv àlà, Syriacè, i. e. Kúpos bev. Dominus Noster venit. Anathema, Maranatha, est extrema maledictio, usque in adventum Domini. This was the highest degree of excommunication among the Jews, and is all one with the denunciation of Enoch, Jude 14, "The Lord cometh," and is there explained by Toñoas κρίσιν, doing judgment against wicked men," that will not be reformed. The Spaniards say, when they pronounce excommunication against any one, "Sit anathema-maranatha et excommunicatus:" "Let him be excommunicated from the hope of the law." TITHES.-Rabbi Solomon, speaking of tithes, says, "He that doth not duly pay his tithe, in the end his land shall yield him but a tithe of what it was wont to yield." A very remarkable saying! I wish all sacrilegious persons, who make no conscience in robbing the ministers of God in their tithe, would seriously remember it. "Raro antecedentem scelestum Deseruit pede pœna claudo." "Rarely does vengeance quit the villain's chase, Though she pursue his crimes with a slow, halting pace." "God will find The sinner out, and pay him in his kind." MISCELLANEA.-The Jews inflicted no more than forty stripes upon any one, though he were as strong as Samson; but if he were weak, they abated of that number. So that they looked upon St. Paul as |