PREFACE. IN offering to the Public the first completed Volume of the Enlarged Series of THE CHURCHMAN, we trust, that it will not be found inferior in the quality of its matter to the Smaller Series, which preceded it. The design of the Work is, to convey useful information in a form which will generally be intelligible-to direct the attention to every danger and schism which may, from time to time, threaten the Church-to vindicate the authenticity and allsufficiency of the Scriptures-occasionally to explain difficult passages-and on all occasions to defend our own Religious Establishment. Excepting in controversial discussions, where it may be necessary to verify our faith and practice by the aids which human learning affords, abstruse criticisms will be avoided; though the illustratious which Literature is capable of reflecting on the sacred page will frequently be exhibited. Foreign Books of Travels in countries mentioned by the inspired writers, particularly those which were the scenes of the Apostolic labours, will often be epitomized in an English dress, that the Work, humble as it is, may, in some degree, become one of reference, and be as useful to the scholar as instructive to the ordinary reader. The course of events will naturally modify our plan. Our wish being to benefit the Church, and preserve its unity, we shall be directed in our selections by the requisitions of the times. For instance, we shall show, from the Fathers, that the new party at Oxford finds no authority, even from their pages, to put Tradition on an equality with the Word of God-that many of the Traditions preserved by them were absurd, and that they themselves were often incompetent expositors of the sacred text. Having performed this task, we conceive that every one will drawn a conclusion against the recently proposed doctrines. It only remains to observe, that any change of style or opinions which may be noticed in the different parts of this Volume, must be attributed to its true cause-THE CHANGE OF EDITORS. |