and leading him, the foremost of his flock, in the ways of God's laws, and in the works of God's commandments. Let it be a holiness, which, enabling him to rejoice in the testimony of a conscience void of offence, and in the hope of the divine favour, presents constantly that serene, that peaceful, that cheerful, and yet that dignified aspect, which secures admiration, while it sheds around its celestial serenity, its peace, its cheerfulness, its dignity. Let it be a holiness, which, prompting in all circumstances the right purpose, unappalled by opposition, undismayed by odium, meekly and prudently, but firmly pursues that purpose to its failure or to its accomplishment"Justum et tenacem propositi

Non civium ardor prava jubentium,
Non vultus instantis tyranni,
Mente quatit solida.

"Let it be a holiness, which, the bright example of the patient endurance of the trials of life, and the moderate and thankful enjoyment of its numerous blessings, while it sojourns, contented and cheerful, in this vale of its probation clow, lifts its aspiring eye to that lofty region of unmingled felicity for which it is destined, and draws from thence its most triumphant consolations and its purest joys. Let this be the holiness with which, through the divine blessing, this seminary invests its pupils; and they will teach, and they will preach, the most impressive lessons in their tempers, in their deportment, in their lives.

"And yet one characteristic more must distinguish them to consummate their usefulness-they must be practical ministers

Practical-as it respects the judicious application of their talents and knowledge to preaching, and to the discharge of parochial duties."" P. 11.

"The instruction pursued in the institution, we trust, will ever keep in view, the truths of Scripture, as maintained by the Church universal, and professed in this apostolic branch of it; and the ministry, and ordinances, and worship, which, as to their essential parts, have the same divine and primitive authority.

"That particular churches, that particular communities of Christians may err, and have erred in the interpretation of the sacred writings, it would be absurd to deny. But that the Church universal, that the great body of Christians in the early ages, and in all places, erroneously interpreted the sense of Scripture, it would be equally irrational to maintain. This would prove, that the Bible is indeed a sealed book, and that its meaning cannot be ascertained. Credible witnesses as the primitive Fathers of the Church were, as to matters of fact, from their acknowledged fidelity and piety, whatever in relation to matters of opinion may have been in some cases their erroneous views, wherever we find them concurring in the fact of the prevalence of a doctrine or institution, without any notice of its introduction, we refer that doctrine to the Bible, and that institution, if not to the same sacred origin, to apostolic practice. The rule of faith which Vincent of Lerins, a Christian writer of the fifth century, lays down, of believing whatever was received semper, ubique,

ab omnibus,' always, every where, and by the great body of Christians, makes the Church universal of the early ages the safe expositor of holy writ, while it destroys the claims of particular Churches to credibility, when opposed to this universal faith; and utterly subverts the claims to infallibility of the Church of Rome. It is on this principle that our Church receives the Apostles and Nicene Creeds, which were early received in the Church universal, as authentic summaries of Christian doctrine. And taking these as more fully drawn out in her articles and liturgy, for the standard of Christian truth, our theological seminary, thus receiving the doctrines of Scripture as exhibited in the faith of the first ages, and handed down to the present times, will be preserved from those heresies which, though they appeared in the Church at an early period, were then condemned as pestilent corruptions of the Gospel, and have since, at particular times, deformed portions of those who bear the Christian name."

"The ministry, as subsisting in three orders, with the power, exclusively in the first order, of supremacy in government, and of transmitting from the divine Head of the Church the commission which is essential to the exercise of the ministry; and the ordinances and worship that distinguish her, our Church maintains on the ground, that they are in all essential parts agreeable to Scripture, and supported by the best commentary on Scripture, the practice of the first and purest ages of Christianity. It will be the duty, and it will prove the safety and the happiness, we trust, of all who are concerned in this institution, either as instructors or as pupils, to seek for the old paths, for the good way, and to walk therein.'” P. 17.

"Young gentlemen, STUDENTS OF THE SEMINARY,

"It is of importance that you should bear in mind, that vain will be the contributions of a generous community, vain the fidelity of the governors of the institution, and the talents and attention of the professors, and blasted their hopes, and the hopes of the Church, if there be wanting in you the diligent pursuit of your studies, and the serious and constant cultivation of all pious dispositions and holy habits.

"I need not lay before you in detail what you have, doubtless before this, long and well considered, and what will be the subject of your future attention in the course of your studies, how high the

*"The study of the Fathers of the Church is recommended in the course of the theological study established by the House of Bishops, as one of the best expedients for guarding the student against many errors of modern times;' and the same sentiment is thus forcibly expressed by a divine of the Church of England, the Rev. William Reeves, whose invaluable treatise on the right use of the Fathers,' prefixed to his trauslation of the Apologies of Justin Martyr, &c. &c. should be carefully studied by every candidate for holy orders. I would wish to infuse an ambitious warinth in the younger clergy of entering upon the study of divinity, with the Scriptures in conjunction with the Fathers, and to form their 'notions and fashion their minds by the doctrine and example of Christ and his Apostles, and the noble army of martyrs; and not to take up, and quench their thirst with the corrupted streams of modern systems.' Rev. Wm. Reeves, on the right use of the Fathers, p. 79"

dignity, how weighty the office and the charge for which you are preparing, and to which, in due time, you will be called to be messengers, watchmen, and stewards of the Lord, to teach and to premonish, to feed and provide for the Lord's family; to seek for Christ's sheep that are dispersed abroad, and for his children who are in the midst of this naughty world, that they may be saved, through Christ, for ever *.'

"Oh! who among us can realize this office and this charge, and not be almost overwhelmed with the awful responsibility which they involve. There is One who can make us sufficient for these things; or who would not shrink from the work? Realize, young gentlemen, daily and constantly, its nature and its responsibility; that you may daily and constantly, looking to the source of your strength and consolation, labour to prepare yourselves for the discharge of its momentous duties. Furnished as you will be with all the means of advancing in the great work of theological science, it would be disgraceful to you to suppose, for a moment, that you will fail in the disposition, or relax in your diligent and unremitted exertions, to avail yourselves of them. Destined to be the ministers of a Church which, when we identify her in her evangelical doctrines, her apostolic ministry, and her pure and primitive worship, with the venerable Church from whom she boasts her origin, stands foremost among the Churches of Christendom, we call on you to rouse a holy ambition, not to disgrace, by superficial attainments, by error in doctrine, or levity, or unholiness in life, her elevated character and her sacred cause. Go back to the first ages of Christianity, and contemplate the learning and the eloquence of an Origen and a Tertullian, a Cyprian and a Jerome, a Basil and a Chrysostom, an Athanasius and an Augustine. Bring often to view the constellation of divines that adorned and adorns the Church from which you are descended, illustrious in talents, learning, and in eloquence; and aiming at their learning and eloquence, be emulous also, with equal fidelity and zeal, to come forward in the world, the champions of the Christian faith.

"But, my young friends, unhallowed will be the ambition which devotion to the glory of God does not guide and sanctify. It will not, like the holy inspiration from heaven, warm, and brighten, and purify; but, kindled at the impure altars of the world, it will consume and destroy. Be on your guard, then, against worldly ambi tion-be on your guard even against literary and theological fame : love it, indeed, and cherish it-it leads to generous and ardent exertions; but love and cherish more-love and cherish supremely -the approbation of your Master, the promotion of his glory, and the salvation of the souls of your fellow men. With that Master hold constant intercourse, not only in the public worship and ordinances, which it is not to be supposed that you would neglect, but in stated private devotion and in secret prayer; and in short ejaculations, taken from the devotional language of Scripture, or from the inimitable forms of the Church, lift up your hearts, even in the midst of

"Ordination Office."

your studies and your duties, to heaven-to your Saviour and your God. Of prayer it may be said, with more than poetic truth,

ardent, it opens heaven, lets down a stream

Of glory on the consecrated hour

Of man in audience with the Deity.'

"Amidst the investigations and high pleasures of literary and theological science, never forget, that with the humblest individual, to the salvation of whose soul your labours will be hereafter directed, you must, as sinners, rely for pardon on the atonement, and for sanctification on the grace, of the divine Mediator. Fading are those wreaths of glory that crown the successful competitors in the race, the worthiest that worldly ambition can pursue, of literary fame. But there is a promise in which mere worldly ambition has no part- They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever.' Be emulous of this glory, my young friends; and God grant that it may reward the arduous, but exalted, labours of that ministry which is your choice; and for which, we trust, you will be here honourably fitted. The Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

"PEOPLE OF THE CONGREGATION-through you I would address CHURCHMEN at large. Whether this institution is to shine forth in health and in vigour, the pride of the Church, depends on your exertions and on your contributions in its behalf. It cannot be that the descendants of those who have raised in another nation the noblest monuments of literary and religious benevolence, will permit the present effort to transmit to posterity the blessings of divine truth, to fail at the outset. It cannot be that the sons of the purest and most primitive Church in Christendom will be outdone in pious zeal by other communities of Christians. The seminary which we have presented to you, with reference to its objects, its principles, its results, and its means, is calculated and designed, in its organization and in all its arrangements, to advance that Gospel of Christ which, while it is the power of God unto salvation, affords the only security for social order, for the perfection, dignity, and happiness Is there an individual who will not devote to such an institution his persevering, unremitted, and liberal exertions; and who will not offer up for it, with more fervour than even for the best civil institution of his country, the prayer

of man.

66 ESTO PERPETUA.

"Yes, blessed Lord, who didst shed thy blood, and constitute thy Church, for the salvation of lost man, be with this seminary, the sacred nursery of the ministers of thy Church-be with it, by thy protecting Providence, thy guiding and governing Spirit, ALWAY, EVEN TO THE END OF THE WORLD." Introductory Address. P. 32.

The term of study in the Seminary is three years; and a judgment may be formed of the course pursued from the

following Reports of the Professors, which appear on the Journals of the last General Convention of the Church. The following are extracts from the Reports of July, 1822.

"The students attended the Professor of Pastoral Theology and Pulpit Eloquence* one day every week, from the commencement of the session until the month of June. The service of the Church was on these occasions performed as a devotional exercise by the students in rotation, and two sermons, and frequently more, were delivered by them, which, as well as the performance of the service, were the subjects of the criticisms of the Professor. They also went through a short course of instruction on the qualifications and duties of the clerical office.

"The Professor of Biblical Learning and of the Interpretation of Scripture t, reports, that he has attended two classes. One of them, having studied with him, during the last term of the Seminary, while in New-Haven, the Epistles from Romans to Colossians, inclusive, has, during the present session, gone through the remainder. As this class attended him but once a week, it has been found impracticable to review any but the Epistle to the Hebrews. The other class attended twice a week, and after carefully reading the Gospel of St. Matthew, examined the Evangelists as an harmony, the Greek of Archbishop Newcome being used as a text book, and the general principle of other harmonists being occasionally pointed out. Since the beginning of May, they have pursued the study of the historical books of the Old Testament from Joshua to Esther, inclusive; but as the variety of duties which engaged their attention, made it impracticable for them to devote more than one day in the week to this pursuit, it was impossible to attend to it with any minuteness. Lectures on subjects connected with these studies were occasionally read by the Professor, and he be→ lieves that the most important questions of a critical nature, arising out of them, were topics of discussion.

"The class attending the Professor of Systematic Theology + began, shortly after the opening of the Seminary, to study Bishop Pearson's Exposition of the Creed, and have proceeded as far as that part of the work, inclusively, which treats of the personality and divinity of the Holy Ghost; comprising nearly five-sixths of the whole. The class was attended three times a week generally, but considerable interruptions in their exercises has been occasioned by the state of the Professor's health. The course pursued by him has been to connect with the study of the Exposition of the Creed, that of other works on some subjects which appeared to require a more full examination than the Bishop's Exposition contains. The class, accordingly, have studied nearly the whole of the following works-Jones's Catholic Doctrine of the Trinity-Bishop Horsley's Tracts on Unitarianism-Dr. Magee on the Atonement Bishop Hobart's Tract on the Descent into Hell, with Bishop Right Rev. John Henry Hobart, D.D. Rev. Samuel H. Turner, D.D. Rev. Bird Wilson, D.D..

*