Page:A Pastoral Letter to the Parishioners of Frome.djvu/18

10 sacrament of Baptism according to the form prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer, without believing, and therefore teaching the doctrine of regenerating grace therein of necessity conveyed,—still I find it within the reach of my affection for the Church of England, and my duty to my Ordination Vows to adhere to her Communion—and being called according to the law of the Church, and, if I may hope without presumption, by the will of, to minister once more at her Altars, I have learned not only to join with the good Bishop of Exeter in his letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury in lamenting that "peace and rest and quiet confidence has been broken by this judgment, and the hands of those made to hang down who have laboured zealously for the Church, and men's hearts to faint," but also to listen to and follow the Bishop's advice, contained in these affectionate words:

"My Lord, I have said that there is too much cause to fear that the effect of this judgment, bearing, as it does, your Grace's sanction, will be to drive many from our Church, perhaps to Rome, perhaps to infidelity. Yet I trust in mercy, that such will not be the issue if my voice can anywhere be heard, if my wishes, my entreaties, my sufferings,—for, indeed, my Lord, I have suffered much, not for myself,—but if my sufferings in mourning for the Church, and for the too probable results to her continuance as a sound branch of the tree of life, can avail with any, I implore them to cling more closely, more faithfully, more lovingly, to her in this her hour of affliction; above all to pray humbly to Him Who can make all things work together for good, that He will be pleased to 'correct us, but with judgment, not in His anger lest He bring us to nothing;' that we may learn, practically learn, and feel how miserably weak we are, how great and good He is."

Another point.—The Alliance of Church and State.