very many years, combined the two offices of Clergyman and Magistrate, while he has taken a share in the management of refuges for the destitute, and of prison and hospital committees; and he feels, for his own gratification, that such a combination has afforded him opportunities, which he would not else have possessed, of being the humble medium of accomplishing some of those good services to his fellow-creatures, on which he will ever reflect with the greatest complacency. And he knows that those of his profession, similarly circumstanced with himself in this respect, have experienced the same grateful feelings from the good which they have been thus enabled to do, without any neglect of their proper duties as Clergymen. If the office of a magistrate, when holden by a Clergyman, has been turned to any unworthy purpose, or been indiscreetly exercised, let the individual bear the blame. That in the weakness of human nature it may have been indiscreetly exercised, is admitted; but let all beware how they argue from abuse against the usage, and how they blame the junction of offices which may continue to operate, as they have operated, to the very best interests of society, by adding to the salutary influence of the Clergy, by enabling the individual to advance the good of his brethren, and to further public peace and good order.

But by whom, let it be dispassionately inquired, by whom is this junction of Clergyman and Magistrate condemned? Not by persons of enlarged capacities and judicious observation-not by the best friends of the Church-not by those who most reverence the sacred order of Clergymen-not by lovers of good order-not by well-educated individuals not by persons of hereditary rank and honourable feelings. All these are, ordinarily, friends of the happy union. They know how assistant it is to the due maintenance of the reverence proper to the religious character, that persons holding it should be employed in the discharge of the higher offices of the community. They know how useful it is to assimilate the Clergy, by their discharge of the more commanding as well as of the humbler offices, with the various ranks of citizens of the community; and they know, intuitively and prospectively, the mischievous tendency of keeping the Clergy as a kind of separate caste from their brethren, so diminishing their influence, and degrading them lower than they are in the opinions of too many, who will not reverence them merely for their works' sake, as ministers of JESUS CHRIST. Something more than their mere function will be found necessary, while human nature remains constituted as it is, for the due support of the Clergy's reputation and influence in society; and this will be best found, or perhaps only found, in that happy economy or wise policy, which shall practically identify them, in their various degrees, with every rank in society from the throne to the cottage.

the

But among whom is the objection to this junction ordinarily to be found? It is to be found among the enemies of our Church, among haters of the Clergy, among persons who cannot weigh the subject in all its bearings and contingencies, and whose opinion in this respect is, therefore, unworthy of attention; and among sectarians of contracted thoughts and illiberal associations. These are all enemies to the Clergy acting as JUSTICES OF THE PEace.

But there is nothing in the principle of church discipline, properly

understood, that should prevent the junction of offices which may be so salutarily executed. Under the Mosaic economy, the offices of priest and magistrate were combined; and that authority, though not commanding on Christians, who are left, according to the spirit of the gospel, to act in such an affair as existing circumstances shall require, is yet an authority deserving all reverence, and should lead persons to consider very seriously before they pronounce against a practice so authorized, which has done good, and which, under Heaven, may continue to do good; enabling the ministers of the gospel the better to carry into effect their anxious wishes to promote the will of their Master, by furthering the good of individuals and the welfare of society.

I have thus considered the main principles of CHURCH DISCIPLINE and ECONOMY. If you, Mr. Editor, shall think that their admission into your valuable Remembrancer may convey any requisite information to your respectable and numerous readers, or cause them to think and communicate on the momentous subject, you will direct their insertion. And if ever it shall become necessary, which God forbid ! to defend our excellent book of COMMON PRAYER, I hope I shall not be backward to state also the principles of LITURGICAL Purity.

I am, Sir, very respectfully,

MELANCTHON.
NCTH

BISHOP KIDDER'S OBSERVATIONS ON THE PSALMS.

Some Reflections on the Old Translation of the Psalms, as that Translation is compared with, and examined by, the Hebrew Text. By BISHOP KIdder.

(Continued from page 512.)

Or some places in the Old Translation, the rendering seems to be wide from the import of the Hebrew Text.

Such are these that follow. Psalm II. 7, I will preach the law whereof, &c., whereas the words import the declaring the decree and purpose of God. Ps. IV. 4, In your chamber, instead of, upon your bed. Ver. 8, Since the time, instead of, more than in the time. Ps. V. 11, Perish through their own imaginations, instead of, fall by (or from) their own counsels. Ps. VII. 8, Give sentence with me, instead of, judge me. Ver. 9, Guide, instead of, establish. Ver. 11, Help, instead of, defence. Ver. 15, Ungodliness, instead of, falsehood. Ps. VIII. 9. World, instead of, earth. Ver. 5, To crown, instead of, hast crowned, Ps. IX. 9, While, instead of, when. Ps. X. 2, Lust, instead of, pride. Ver. 17, Take away, instead of, seek. Ver. 20, Be exalted, instead of, oppress. Ps. XI. 6, Alloweth, Heb. tryeth. Ps. XII. 5, Comfortless troubles, Heb. oppression. Ps. XV. 5, Neighbour, Heb. hurt. Ps. XVI. 2, Goods, Heb. goodness. Ver. 8, Warning, Heb. counsel. Ps. XVII. 15, At their desire, Heb. are full of. Ps. XVIII. 13, Out of, Heb. in. Ps. XXII. 32, Whom the Lord hath made, Heb. that the Lord hath done it. Ps. XXVI. 3, I will, Heb. I have. Ps. XXVII. 7, An oblation, Heb. sacrifices. Ver. 9, Talked of thee, Heb. said unto thee.

f

Ver. 16, Tarry thou the Lord's leisure, Heb. wait on the Lord... Ps. XXVIII. 1, Think no scorn of me, Heb. be not silent towards me. Ps. XXXI. 10, Body, Heb. belly. Ps. XXXVIII. 17, Set in the plague, Heb. ready to fall, or, halt. Ps. XLI. 8, Let the sentence of guiltiness proceed against him, Heb. an evil matter sticks to him. Ver. 12, In my health, Heb. in mine integrity. Ps. XLIV. 10, Thou art far off, Heb. thou castest off. Ps. XLIX. 19, He, Heb. thou, or, it. Ver. 20, Hath no understanding, Heb. and understandeth not. Ps. L. 15, Hear, Heb, deliver. Ps. LI. 12, Help, Heb. salvation. Ver. 17, Troubled, Heb. broken. Ps. LV. 15, As friends, Heb. in company. Ps. LVIII, 3, Froward, Heb. estranged. Ps. LIX. 4, Help, Heb. meet. Ver. 10, Sheweth plenteously, Heb. shall prevent. Ps. LXII. 7, Health, Heb. salvation. Ps. LXIII. 12, Shall be commended, Heb. triumph. Ps. LXIV. 2, Gathering together of the froward, Heb. counsel of the wicked. Ps. LXV. 5, In the broad sea, Heb. them that are afar off in the sea. Ver. 7, Madness, Heb. tumult. Ver. 9, Blessest, Heb. waterest. Ver. 12, Clouds, Heb. paths. Ps. LXVI. 6, Such as will not believe, Heb. the rebellious. Ver. 18, Cast out, Heb. turned .* Ps. LXVIII. away. 18. Thine enemies, Heb. the rebellious. Ver. 19, Who helpeth us, Heb. of our salvation. Ps. LXIX. 2, Ground, Heb. standing. Ps. LXXIII. 4, They are in no peril of death, Heb. there are no bands in their death. Ver. 7, And they do even what they lust, Heb. they surpass the thoughts of the heart. Ver. 8, They corrupt other and speak of wicked blasphemy, Heb. they are corrupt, and speak of wicked oppression (or of oppression wickedly.) Ibid. Against the most high, Heb. from on high, or lofty. Ver. 10, And thereof seek they no small advantage, Heb. and plenty of waters are wrung out to them. Ver. 14, Yea, and I had almost said even as they, Heb. if I say I will speak thus. Ver. 19, To vanish out of the city, Heb. thou shalt despise city. Supposing it in the Hebrew to be meant of the city. LXXVII. 6, Search out my spirits, Heb. my spirit made diligent search. Ver. 13, Is holy, Heb. is in the sanctuary. Ps. LXXVIII. 27, Southward, Heb. south. Ver. 42, Moved, Heb. limited. Ps. LXXX. $15, Place of the vineyard, Heb. plant, or, stock. Ps. LXXXIII. 5, They have cast their heads together with one consent, Heb. they have consulted together with one heart. Ps. LXXXVII. 5, He, Heb. this and t man. Ps. Cl. 2, O let me have understanding in the way of godliness, Heb. I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. Ps. CVII. 40, Though he suffer them to be evil intreated through tyrants, Heb. He poureth contempt upon princes. Ps. CVIII. 1, The best member that I have, Heb. my glory. Ps. CIX. 2, False tongues, Heb. wicked mouth. Ibid. Hatred, Heb. deceit. Ibid. And fought against me without a cause, Heb. they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. Ps. CXIX. 28, Comfort me, Heb. strengthen me. Ver. 70, Brawn, Heb. grease. Ps. CXXXIX, 23, The ground of my heart, Heb. my heart. Ps. CXLVIII. 13, That serveth him, Heb. that is near unto him. Ps. CXLIX.” 4, Helpeth, Heb. honoureth the meek with salvation.

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Ps.

that

Some places of the Old Translation that contradict the Hebrew Text, or are manifest deviations from it.

Such places are these that follow. Ps. L. 8. Because they were not always before me; whereas the Hebrew affirms them to have been

always before him. Ps. LIII. 5, Are they not without understanding? Heb. Have they not known? Ps. CV. 28, They were not obedient unto his word, Heb. they were not disobedient unto his word. To which I shall add some places where the rendering in the Old Translation is very different from the Hebrew: e. gr. The plural is put for the singular, Ps. XVII. 4, XVIII. 10, XLIV. 11, LXVIII. 14, XCV. 9. The singular for the plural, Ps. XXXVII. 15, CXXIV. 6. The first person is put for the third, Ps. XXXVII. 37. The pronoun left out, Ps. XLIV. 19. The passive voice put for the active, Ps. LI. 4. My, for, his, Ps. LIX. 9. The, for, thy, Ps. LXVIII. 7. Thy, for, the, Ps. LXIX. 21. Heart, for, Israel, Ps. LXVIII. 26.

THE CONSTITUTION OF CLARENDON.

"THE Constitution of Clarendon" formed a charter, or code of laws, established by the parliament at Clarendon, in Wiltshire, A. D. 1164. Sixteen of the articles related particularly to ecclesiastical matters, and were designed by King Henry II. to check the power of the Pope and his clergy, and to limit the total exemption which they claimed from the secular jurisdiction. The substance of them is as follows:

1.-All pleas between clergymen and laymen shall be tried in the King's courts.

2. Churches in the King's gift shall not be filled without his consent. 3. All clergymen, when accused of any crime, shall be tried in the King's courts; and, when convicted, shall not be protected from punishment by the church.

4.-Clergymen shall not go out of the kingdom without the King's

leave.

5 & 6-Regulate the manner of proceedings in the ecclesiastical

courts.

7. None of the King's ministers or vassals shall be excommunicated without his knowledge.

8.-Appeals from the archbishop to be made to the King.

9. Pleas between a clerk and a layman, whether an estate was in fee-alms or a lay-fee, to be tried in the King's court by a jury.

10.-One of the King's tenants might be interdicted, but not excommunicated, without the consent of the civil judge of the place."

11. All prelates who hold baronies of the King, shall perform the same services with other barons.

12. The revenues of vacant sees and abbeys to the King. The election of prelates shall be with the King's consent; and they shall wear fealty, and do homage to the King, before their consecration. 13, 14, & 15.-Direct the manner of proceeding in case any of the King's barons shall disseise any of the clergy of the lay-fees which they held

them,

Vid. Hooker's Eccles. Pol. Lib. V. sect. 19. Do not the A. E. and S. Translations a'so understand the passage as relating to the Egyptians?

16. The sons of villains shall not be ordained without the leave of their masters.

Britton, in his Wiltshire, says "Of all the prelates present, Archbishop Becket alone openly and boldly refused to give them the sanction of his authority; but finding the King inflexibly bent on the attainment of his object, the prelate was at length induced to comply; and accordingly, at a second meeting of the council, put his signature to the deed. No sooner, however, was the primate advised of the Pope's determination to support the pretensions of the church, than he obtained absolution for this act, and renewed that arrogant opposition to the King's measures, which only ended with his life, and was the indirect cause of his barbarous, though merited, murder."

In the time of Henry III. Clarendon seems to have attained the zenith of its glory. Edward summoned a parliament to meet there in 1317; but the dissensions which then prevailed between the King and his barons prevented its assembling. Its palace is now completely in ruins.

THOUGHTS ON ADVERSITY.

Ir only appertains to huge mountains to bear snow and verdure at one and the same time, and to great souls to retain a holy vigour in the strength of affliction. Yet neither favours nor misfortunes can be of long continuance; for mortals, there is no evil immortal, the last day of thy life will ever be the last of thy discontentments; if thou leave not them, they will forsake thee. Misery should be the loadstone of mercy, not the footstool of pride to trample on. They know not God that think to please him by making themselves miserable; he loves to see his creatures happy-their lawful delight is his. To cut and lance themselves the idolaters thought a fit sacrifice for Baal.

Adversity is like Penelope's night, which undoes all that ever the day did weave.

Crosses are of the nature of the cockatrice,-they die if they are foreseen; if not, they kill. In such a fit of darkness wormish mankind lives, that neither do they know how to foresee, or what to fear; and are but like tennis-balls tossed by the racket of higher powers. Calamity to the good is only the exercise, not the overthrow of virtue. And there is nothing more unhappy, than he who was never touched with unhappiness.

He that hath the history but of his own time, and so much of years as may make him hold the relations of the world, shall find the worst calamities to be a thing so incident to the life of man, as not at all to fear their approach, but embrace them as the appendages and connexions of life.

Adversity is nearer akin to virtue than prosperity; it needs not Philip's boy to wake him with the clamours of mortality. The violences of fortune have no force against such as esteem them not, so that it is merely opinion that torments the mind. Misfortune blindeth those she will overthrow.