ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

CHRISTIAN GUARDIAN,

Church of England Magazine. i

AND

[ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

SHORT MEMOIR OF THE LATE ed the first rudiments of education

REV. HENRY FOSTER, A. M. at the public grammar-school at MINISTER OF SAINT JAMES's, Heptonstall; and on Jan. 18, CLERKENWELL.

1764, was entered of Queen's ColExtracted from the excellent Frineral lege, in the university of Oxford. Sermon of the Rev. H. G. Wat

m of the Rev. H.G. Wat. While at the university he spent kins, A. M.

* his time with discretion and piety,

and quitted it much in the esteem The late Rev. Henry Foster was of his tutor, Dr. Fothergill. On born in the beginning of the year Sept. 20, 1767, he was ordained 1745. His father was a shalloon deacon, by the Bishop of London, manufacturer, about eight miles at Fulham ; and priest on the 21st from Halifax, in the West Riding of May 1769; by titles, on both of Yorkshire. He had six chil occasions, received from the Rev, dren, of whom Henry was the Mr. Romaine. He continued as fourth. He died of a fever, leav- Mr. R.'s assistant. About the ing behind him a widow, five sons, same period, the Rev. Mr. Newand one daughter. His son Henry, ton, of Olney, wished to have en. who was then about seventeen gaged his youthful labours, and years of age, likewise caught the urged it strongly by letter, intia infection. He received his reli- mating the dangers and snaresto gious impressions in early youth, which a young minister is exposed and was thereby preserved from in London. Soon after this period many dangerous and fearful tempt- he was chosen lecturer of St. Ethel. ations. These impressions were burga, Bishopsgate Street. This first excited by the family prayer he resigned on being elected to the of one of his father's workmen, lectureship of Blackfriars. About which he unexpectedly heard; and the year 1769 he was chosen the his surprise was increased by the Friday evening preacher at St. An. painful recollection that so néces- tholin's, Watling Street, and.com. sary and important an exercise was menced his ministry with a sermon not observed in his own family. on 2 Cor. v. 20. In 1774 he was Such thoughts as these occurred, licensed as Tuesday evening which led him to a strict attention preacher at St. Swithin, London to the duties of public worship Stone. In 1775 he was chosen by, and the preaching of the word; by the parish of St. Peter, Cornhill, which means, through the blessing the Thursday morning preacher, of God, he attained a good hope, His first sermon was from Heb. iii, through grace, and advanced in 13. . Here the right of election the knowledge of our Lord and, was litigated for several years, and Saviour Jesus Christ. He receiv. no salary was paid him. For his CHRIST. GUARD, VOL. VI.

Tt

other peekly engagements it is A living in Surry has been twice said that the stipends were mostly vacant, and two others, all which under twenty pounds per annum. he suffered to pass by, in the same

Ir. Foster appears to have been the honourable and generous way. In first minister chosen for the Sun- 1804, much against his own incliday evening lectures at Christ. nation, he was nominated for the church, Spitalfields. The lecturer perpetual curacy of St. James, can hold it only for three years Clerkenwell, at that time vacant. successively. He was chosen for He was then in Huntingdonshire, four alternate periods, and thus and declared, “ that if soliciting laboured there during twenty-one one vote would secure his election, years. In the year 1782 he was he would not do it.” The election offered a living near Swaffhum, in was carried on by some of the inNorfolk, by Edward Parry, Esq. habitants, and, after' much litiga. which he declined to accept. For tion, with which he had not the many years he was likewise the li- smallest concern, he was licensed censed minister of Long Acre by Dr. Porteus, June 12, 1807. chapel : in which service be was The preaching of Mr. F. war successively associated, with the plain, serious, affectionate, practio. Rev. Mr. Čecil, the Rev. Edward cal, and experimental. His priCuthbert, and the Rev. H. G. Wat- vate studies he pursued with one kins. In 1786, John Thornton, continued uniformity. He spent. Esg. made him an offer, by letter, much time in retirement, ruminatof the valuable rectory of Clap- ing upon the word of God, endea, ham, in Surry; but his diffidence vouring to bring forth such suband modesty concerning his own jects as might promote the real fitness and abilities, induced him edification of his hearers. He had to decline it.

no time for frivolous conversation • Thus this eminent Minister con- or idle visiting, but observed a tinued his laborious work. For steadiness of conduct which was thirty years he statedly preached highly ornamental to the Christian five times a week to different con- character. His sermons appeared gregations. These were numerous as if prepared under the influence apd well attended, and the word of much prayer to God; a spiripreached was very profitable to tual unction pervaded what he those who heard it. At the close said, penetrating the inmost reof his ministry at Blackfriars, in cesses of the heart. His countewhich chureh he was curate and nance wore the marks of benignity, lecturer twenty years, he received and seemed to partake of the ten.. à piece of plate with this inscrip- derness of his style, with the intion" A token of gratitude from ward feeling and deep affection of the parish of St. Andrew's Ward- his heart. In the scenes of do. robe, London, to the Rev. Henry mestic life his character shone -Foster, for his faithful discharge with peculiar lustre-correct, mild, of the duties of curate and lecturer and devout. He observed with for more than twenty years. Jan. much attention the different events 21, 1789.

of Providence, and in all the con- When Mr. Thornton died, in cerns of life endeavoured to copy 1790, he left Mr. F. the first-nam- the temper and spirit of his divina ed trustee of several livings; on Master. In him we beheld the which occasion he waved his right, distinguishing graces of Christianand joined with the other trustees ity uniting their rays, producing a to present clergymen whom, ac- character both luminous and beaucording to his modest view of him- tisul. As he advanced in life he self, he thought better qualified. became increasingly serious : his path was that of the just; he sone- he was greatly relieved. On Wed. times, however, shuddered at the nesday night, May 25, 1814, beapproach of death, and observed fore eleven o'clock, he laid him to a friend, a little before his dis down in his bed with a very cheersolution, “ It is a serious thing to ful countenance, and in a few, die; I know no other resource hours, and without a struggle, his than, looking unto Jesus.'" At happy soul departed this world, the latter part of the year 1812 he and entered into its rest, in the was confined ten weeks to his bed sixty-ninth year of his age. He' by a severe illness; his' memory died as he lived, patient, resigned, was thereby greatly impaired: he and grateful. He laid him down however preached nearly to the in peace, unconscious that in a few last, occasionally from his desk, hours the final victory over sin and when prevented by his infirmities death would be gained, through from ascending the pulpit. At the Jesus Christ his Saviour. He close of the frost in 1814 he expe- seems scarcely to have known that rienced a very serere spasmodic af- he was absent from the body, be. fection on his lungs, from which, fore he found himself present with however, by the blessing of God, the Lord !

RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

* ON THE SACRAMENTS: AN ESSAY of life and the tree of the know

ON THE TWENTY-FIFTH AR-' ledge of good and evil were em. 1 TICLE OF THE CHURCH OF blematical of two opposite me.' ENGLAND.

thods of living, or states of being. SINCE man is such a creature Such also, in my view, was the of sense, receiving all his ideas design of the cherubim, which, ime' through the medium of sensible mediately after the fall of man, was objects, and most readily affected set up at the entrance of Eden; · by them, it has pleased God, in not so much to guard the way and every dispensation to his creatures, to prevent access to the former to condescend to the weakness of tree of life, as to preserve the way their nature, and to constitute cer- to, or the knowledge of, the true tain of those outward and visible tree of life, Christ Jesus. This objects as the representations of was, most probably, the origin of inward and spiritual things. The the ancient hieroglyphics; and its general order of nature, indeed, self represented in that manner the appears to be a designed emblem covenant of grace, the three Perof the order of grace-the natural sons of Jehovah joined in that coworld, of the spiritual; and of venant, and the second Person course there is a natural analogy' united with the manhood, as the between them, so that by the one, only medium, in the fallen state if our minds were spiritually dis- of man, of God's approach to posed, we might be constantly re- sinners, or of a sinner's access to minded of the other.

God. This, most probably, conti. This seems to have been the nued till the time of the flood, as case, in some measure, even in the place where God displayed his the upright, perfect,''and paradi- glory and favour to his church, as saical state of man, where the tree in his temple afterwards; and from

this Cain went out when he “went the Supper of the Lord are the out from the presence of the only sacraments which the Lord Lord;" thus rejecting the worship has appointed in his church. . and service of Jehovah, in the same In this Article (twenty-fifth) we manner as a Jew, who should af- have a general definition of the. terwards have voluntarily deserted nature of a sacrament, and how the temple and its ordinances. But, many they are : the following Arbe this as it may, in every future ticles specifically describing the dispensation of God we may ob- design of each. serve two remarkable emblematical The nature of a sacrament in signs chosen from sensible and ex- general is thus defined in the first ternal objects, to represent spi- clause : ritual truths and blessings water “ Sacraments ordained of Christ and blood. Under both the pa. be not only badges or tokens of triarchal and levitical economy Christian men’s profession, but, (for the last is only the first re- rather, they be certain sure witduced to a more perfect system) nesses and effectual signs of grace, the blood of the sacrifices, and the and God's good-will towards us, by water of their various ablutions and the which he doth work invisibly purifications, were the standing sa- ' in us, and doth not only quicken, cramental signs. As these were but also strengthen and confirin designed to represent the very same our faith in him.” To which it is things under the Old as thy still added, “ There are two sacraments do under the New Testament, the ordained of Christ our Lord in the atonement of Christ and the rege. Gospel," &c. ? . neration of his Spirit ; and to show A more full and explicit explathat the whole of these had their nation of this is found in the three completion in the person and at first questions of the Catéchism the cross of Christ, the water and which relate to the sacraments. the blood actually flowed there . Q. How many sacraments hath from his pierced side. And it is Christ ordained in his church?,, on this account that it is so parti. A. Two only, as generally ne, cularly mentioned by the Evange- cessary to salvation; that is to say, list, John, xix. 34, 35: “ But one Baptism, and the Supper of the of the soldiers pierced his side, Lord. and forthwith came thereout blood Q. What meanest thou by this and water. And he that saw it word sacrament? bare record, and his record is true, A. I mean an outward and visible and he knoweth that he saith true, sign of an inward and spiritual that ye might believe.” How im. grace, given unto us, ordained by portant this fact .appeared to the Christ himself, as a means whereby mind of the Evangelist, is evident, we receive the såme, and a pledge for he repeats the same account in to assure us thereof. his Epistles, with the same solemn Q. How many parts are there declaration concerning it, no doubt in a sacrament ? alluding to its mystical import (1 A. Two: the outward visible John, v.6); “ This is he who came sign, and the inward spiritual by water and blood, even JESUS grace... CHRIST; net by water only, but From hence it appears, that by waier and blood: and it is the The first grand requisite in, & Spirit that beareth witness, be sacrament is, that it must be ore, cause the SPIRITIS TRUTH.”. Hence, dained of Christ himself, for none under the Christian dispensation, other can have authority to make these are the only sacramental em- such an appointment in his church, blems retained, and Baptism and; And this is the case with those

:

and with those only, 'which we ac allusiớn to those things in nature knowledge as such. The original which bear the nearest analogy to institution of baptism, as a Chris. them. Thus, the use of water tian ordinance, was made by our cleanses, purifies, and refreshes : Lord himself after his resurrec- the blood is the life of animal nation, and immediately preceding ture, and in the ancient sacrifices his ascension, when he sent forth it was therefore the atonement his Apostles to found the Chris. ' and then the sacrifice itself betian church, which was to came the provision of the offerer. be united together by this ordi. Thus baptism, in which water is nance, “ Go ye, therefore, and used, is no doubt significative of teach all nations, baptizing them the regeneration of the Holy Spie in the name of the FATHER, and ŘIT, together with all his work of of the Son, and of the Holy purification and sanctification upon GHOST.” (Matt. xxviii. 19.) The the heart. And the Supper of the institution of the Lord's Supper is Lord, in the use of that which figu. thus recorded, Luke, xxii, 17-20: ratively denotes the blood (be. « And he took bread, and gave cause the use of real blood would thanks, and brake it, and gave unto be improper), is significative of them, saying, This is my body, the atonement in the blood of Christ, which is given for you ; this do in with all the benefits of his cross remembrance of me. Likewise and passions received by faith into also the cup after supper, saying, the soul, the rich provision of spiThis cup is the new testament ritual life *. And as, in the Jewish in my blood, which is shed for church, of the two leading ordinans you.” The Apostle Paul deelares, ces the one was initiatory, and the that in delivering this precept to other for the confirmation of bed the church he had delivered what lievers; so, in the Christian church « he had received of the Lord.” baptism is evidently an initiatory But as, at the time when the comorite, and the Lord's Supper for the mand was originally given; he was further confirmation of the believer not among the disciples, but a per- in Christ, and his increase and secutor of the cause of Christ, he growth in the Christian life. , could have received it only by im- But the most important question mediate revelation from the Lord, is, what are the effects which are after his ascension. This seems) communicated in the administering) to give the command a still more or receiving these sacraments solemin sancțion, and to i confirm These are generally stated in this most strongly the duty of it. ob- *Article, as they belong to both saservance, derived from the nósti craments. But then, for the enexpress authoriti of the Lord him. joyment of these benefits, it is de self, not only on earth; but from clared in the close, they must be his throne of glory. Ons is worthily received, that is, they ., A sacrament must also have, as must be received in faith, and with essential to its very nature, lan suitable dispositions. Without this, outward sign of inward grace, so far from bringing a blessing, the or some sensible and visible ob- outward administration will not jeet, the designed representation only be in vain, and useless, but of something invisible and spiri- will incur the displeasure at Altual. This ought to be considered mighty God. Hear how the Lord as a mercifulaccommodation of spi. Speal of his ancient ordinances, ritual things to our senses; for, as We have no original ideas of spi

** Our common mode of living is, indeed,

and ought to be, à constant memorial of ritual truths, objects, or acts, we this truth, that we live by the death of antic shall best understand then by an ther, and by the shedding of ita blondi

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »