Printed by GEORGE HARRISON, of 11, Cross Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, and published by ELLIOT STOCK, 62, Paternoster Row, in the Parish of St. Faith, under St. Paul's, in the City of London.--MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1st, 1864.

THE

PRIMITIVE CHURCH

(OR BAPTIST)

MAGAZINE,

No. CCXLIII.-MARCH 1, 1864.

Essays, Expositions,. &c.

SECTS AND HERESIES OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

No. 5. EPISCOPALIANISM.

"But ye shall not be so; but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve."-JESUS CHRIST,

ONE of the most distinguishing features of Christianity, is its constant inculcation of humility. This grace it demands as a condition of discipleship, and from this demand it never withdraws. The perpetual foe of pride, and the opponent of worldly ambition, it makes this grace the test of membership; "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." This test, it maintains throughout its whole scope, by enjoining on its disciples, “Be ye clothed with humility,"-" In honour, preferring one another."

Humility shone with untarnished brilliance in the great Redeemer, whose entire life exhibited a settled purpose to make himself "OF NO REPUTATION," but to be among men as one that served. His most distinguished apostle afforded another illustrious instance of the controlling influence of this grace, when in terms of unaffected abasement he described himself as "less than the least of all saints." If true greatness ever dwelt on earth, it dwelt with him who "had not where to lay his head," and with his honoured follower, who above all other men copied that greatness with an ardour so incessant, that he could utter the unchallenged truth, "For to me to live is Christ."

The early church soon lost sight of this peerless grace, or in a singularly brief period permitted it to be impaired, by an admixture of the carnal element that speedily overpowered this more heavenly principle. Especially did this appear in the corruption of office among the churches of that age. The salutary and indispensable principle of

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a perfect equality among office-bearers, which the Redeemer has taught in terms of beautiful simplicity, and enjoined as a permanent law, was disregarded by the very parties who were officially bound to preserve it to the church, as essential to its existence. That church was to be "not of the world," equally with its Lord and Master; but when it was perceived that the world conferred honour on high rank and elevated station, the degenerate office-bearers of the church, gradually assimilated their own offices to those of the world around, and whereas the Redeemer left them equal,—“ all ye are brethren,”—they determined on creating a difference of rank. Pride of superior station immediately followed, and as a consequence, the plain pastor of a flock was despised, and ambition, flowing in a new channel, moistened the germ of a lordly priesthood that should share the honours of rank with a worldly nobility. This gave birth to an Episcopacy, or that difference of rank among the ministers of that large section of the professing Christian world, who are known by the name of Episcopalians.

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That the proud spirit which originated this sect, entered the church in a very early age, cannot be doubted. All reliable authorities point to the beginning of the second century, as the probable period when the plain pastorate of apostolic appointment, gradually degenerated into the worldly institute of a ruling bishop, and inferior clergy. Even the learned Chillingworth, in his “Apostolic Episcopacy demonstrated,” carries it no higher; for, as if conscious of the absence of direct proof of its apostolic origin, he provides an escape for his own argument, by asserting, or presently after." Even that candid churchman detected a probable flaw in his own demonstration, and that he might retreat with as good a grace as possible, should he be too closely pressed, he opens a backdoor, in the safe alternative of "or presently after." We admit this presently after to be correct, but then it involves the total surrender of the churchman's case, for if he fails to prove from scripture that Episcopacy was an apostolic institution, it proves nothing for his cause, that it came into being presently after. The Gnostics, Arians, Sabellians, and a host besides, appeared presently after the apostles were no more; but we have yet to learn that they were right, because they sprang up presently after.

The Episcopalians are a wide-spread, numerous people under different names. Popery, as to church officials, is an Episcopacy. The Church of England, and that of Ireland (established by Cæsar,) are of the same order. The Greek Church in Russia, and the Moravians, are similarly constituted. The Armenian, Coptic, Abyssinian, Swedish, and Danish Churches, are also Episcopalian. The principle of degrees in rank and authority among those who serve at one altar, has proved acceptable to the world, and being in strict harmony with worldly policy, it has been permitted to become popular as an ecclesiastical auxiliary to a carnal pride. The lowly pretensions of the carpenter's son carry no attractions in this secular world of our's.

The amazing multiplication of offices, wherever the principle of an Episcopacy has been admitted, can hardly be regarded otherwise than as a proof that the institution is not divine. Unity marks and impresses all the works of God." One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism," designate he harmony of the Christian religion. But look at Episcopacy in any

of its ramifications, and what are its fruits? Is there unity anywhere? Is there uniformity? Is there even a decent compactness? Take Episcopalian POPERY, and what does it present? There is the Pope to begin with, the universal Father, then Patriarch, Primate, Archbishop, or Metropolitan, Bishop, Arch-Presbyter, Arch-Deacon, and Provost-besides the Dean, Sub-Dean, Precentor, &c. Then there are the Cardinals, or the Pope's counsellors, in addition to Readers, Exorcists, Sub-Deacons, Deacons, Priests, &c. &c.

Take next the Episcopal Church of England, and there we are blessed with the Sovereign as a political head, then Archbishops, Bishops, Deans, Arch-Deacons, Deacons, Rural Deans, Prebendaries, Canons, Rectors, Vicars, Curates, Chaplains, &c.

Next comes the Greek Church, and there are the Patriarch, the Metropolitans, the Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Lay-Monks, Deacons, Sub-Deacons, and Anagnostes, who are readers of common notices of the day.

The Armenians, Copts, Abyssinians, and others, have also their orders, ranks, and degrees; but the humblest, simplest, and least pretentious of the Episcopalian churches, is that of the Moravians. That modest people adopt the Episcopacy as a form of church order, but they have to a great extent, avoided the pride which impregnates the system as a whole.

But are these Popes, Patriarchs, Cardinals, Arch-Bishops, Metropolitans, Bishops, Deans, Sub-Deans, &c. &c. &c. to be found in Scripture? Were they appointed by Christ or his apostles? Where are the directions for appointing them to office, and where the particular instructions for the discharge of their duties? We read of Bishops (Overseers, or Pastors,) and Deacons, but where of Popes, Patriarchs, Arch-bishops, Lord-Bishops, Cardinals, Priests, &c. ;—where are these even named or acknowledged? Our great Milton, speaking of the prelates of Episcopacy, says,- 'Most certain it is, that ever since their coming to the see of Canterbury, for near twelve hundred years, (now, fourteen hundred,) to speak of them in general, they have been in England, to our souls a sad and doleful succession of illiterate and blind guides; to our purses and goods a wasteful band of robbers, a perpetual havoc and rapine; to our state a continual hydra of mischief and molestation, the forge of discord and rebellion; this is the trophy of their antiquity, and boasted succession through so many ages." This language is strong, truly, but Milton knew what he said, and could have proved all he wrote. He knew, as every thinking man must know, that religious pride will indulge in any meanness, or in any crime to maintain its own wicked superiority.

That the institution of Episcopacy is a mighty innovation upon the simple order of the church, as appointed by Christ and the apostles, is most evident. For in the fact that it fosters pride and worldly display, there is direct proof that such an institution never came from one who was pre-eminently "meek and lowly in heart." The glare and glitter of Popes, Cardinals, and Primates,—the English Bishops in the House of Lords, vieing with nobility itself, and exhibiting equipages, palaces, and liveried attendants, as splendid, showy, and costly, as those of the secular peerage; and the ambition that everywhere becomes a part and

parcel of Episcopacy wherever known, are as opposed to the meekness, gentleness, and humility of Christ and his gospel, as darkness is to light, sin to holiness, or earth to heaven. It is a systematic incorporation of the worst parts of a worldly policy, with an institution whose highest glory it is to be "not of the world, even as Christ was not of the world."

(To be concluded in the next number.)

W. S.

THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH.

BY THOMAS GOODWIN, D.D. 1650.—Vol. viii. pp. 354-6.

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THE more assurance a man hath of being now at present the son of God, the more true hope he hath of what is to come in heaven; and the more true hope a man hath, the more will he purify himself, as Christ is pure." Carnal men calumniate this doctrine, as that which makes men secure, and more bold to sin, for if they were sure of heaven, then they might think to live as they please, as being sure to get thither: no; it works a clean contrary effect, it makes a man purify himself. This doctrine he (1 John, v. 13,) goes on to prove in the following verses, shewing that assurance is so far from making men unrighteous, that he whom it works not thus with, to make him more holy, hath no true assurance in him, but is manifestly the child of the devil, so verse 10; so chap. ii. verses 6, 9. Nay, there is not a greater means to keep from sin than assurance, therefore (says he,) as my end of writing is, that you may know you have eternal life, so also, "that ye sin not" (chap. ii. verse 1.) Now, if there were danger of looseness in assurance, he could never have made these two ends meet in one epistle together, had not the one been a means to the other. Yea, and says he, when a man hath sinned, there is no speedier way to recover that man again, and reclaim him from sin, than assurance; therefore, says he, in the same chapter, "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the propitiation for our sins." He bids them consider, and believe this, and maintain the assurance of it, to raise them again. Then David's heart began to gush, and bleed, and break, when the prophet told him his sins were forgiven; and, therefore the apostle, he useth that as a motive to the confession of sins, viz., the assurance that God will pardon them, chap. i. verse 9, when a man knows not but out of his own mouth he may be condemned, he is loath to confess; but when a pardon comes, he cares not what he lays open.

And then assurance perfects our love to God, chap. iv. verses 16, 17. "Herein is our love made perfect," verse 17. Herein, that is, hereby, that ye know and believe God's love to us," verse 16. As we cannot love one heartily, whom we apprehend to be an irreconcilable enemy, so we cannot love one perfectly whom we do not know to be a friend; therefore, as full joy ariseth out of assurance of God's love, so perfect