Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

THE ARTICLES THE SYMBOLS OF OUR CHURCH.

On the contrary, the very circumstances that opinions going far beyond what the Articles express, or in other respects considerably differing from them, did exist, and were well known and current, in the days of our reformers, gives even the more force to their deliberate omissions of these, and their distinct declaration of what they do mean to maintain. It was not hastily and unadvisedly that they based the doctrines of their Church on "the pure Word of God," and the claim of their Church to the character of a Christian Community, on its being a "Congregation of believers, in which that pure word is preached, and the Christian Sacraments duly administered."

Whatever therefore may have been the private opinion of any individuals among their number, they have declared plainly

to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of Salvation.

"XXIII. Of Ministering in the Congregation. -It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of public preaching, or ministering the Sacraments in the Congregation, before he be law fully called and sent to execute the same. And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent, which be chosen and called to this work by men who have public authority given unto them in the congregation, to call and send Ministers into the Lord's vineyard.

51

what it was they agreed in regarding as a safe and sufficient foundation, and as essential, and consequently requiring to be set forth and embodied in the Symbol or Creed of their Church.

But neither the Reformers of our Church, nor any other human being, could frame any expressions such as not to admit of being explained away, or the consequences of them somehow evaded, by an ingenious person who should resolutely set himself to the task. And accordingly our Church has been represented as resting her doctrines and her claims on Scripture and Tradition jointly, and "blended" together.

We have been told for instance of a person held up as a model of pure Anglican Church principles, that he "submitted to the decision of inspiration wherever it was to be found, whether in Scripture or Antiquity." And again we have been told that "Rome differs from us as to the authority which she ascribes. to tradition: she regards it as co-ordinate, our divines as sub-ordinate; as to the way in which it is to be employed, she, as independent of Holy Scripture; ours, as subservient to, and blended with it: as to its limits, she supposes that the Church of Rome has the power of imposing new articles necessary to be believed for salvation; ours, that all such articles were comprised at first in the Creed, and that the Church has only the power of clearing, defining, and expounding these fixed ar

ticles."

"XXXIV. Of the Traditions of the Church. -It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one, and utterly like; for at all times they have been divers, and may be changed according to the diversities of countries, times, and men's manners, so that nothing be ordained against God's Word. Whosoever through his private Now whether the above description be judgment, willingly and purposely, doth openly a correct one as far as regards the tenets break the traditions and ceremonies of the Church, of the Church of Rome, I do not pretend which be not repugnant to the Word of God, and to decide, nor does it belong to my prebe ordained and approved by common authority, sent purpose to inquire but the descripought to be rebuked openly, (that others may fear to do the like,) as he that offendeth against the tion of the tenets of the Anglican Church, common order of the church, and hurteth the au- is such as I feel bound to protest against. thority of the Magistrate, and woundeth the con- If indeed by "us" and "our divines": sciences of the weak brethren. is to be understood certain individuals who profess adherence to the Church of England, the above description is, no doubt, very correct as far as relates to THEM: but if it be meant that such are the tenets of our Church itself as set forth in its authoritative Confession of Faith,the Articles,-nothing can be more utterly unfounded, and indeed more opposite to the truth. Our Church not only does not "blend Scripture with Tradition," but takes the most scrupulous care to distinguish from every thing else the Holy Scriptures, as the sufficient and sole authoritative standard.

66

Every particular or national Church hath authority to ordain, change, and abolish, ceremonies or rites of the Church ordained only by man's authority, so that all things be done to edifying. "XXXVI. Of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers. The Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops, and Ordering of Priests and Deacons, lately set forth in the time of Edward the Sixth, and confirmed at the same time by authority of Parliament, doth contain all things necessary to such consecration and Ordering: neither hath it any thing that of itself is superstitious and ungodly. And therefore whosoever are consecrated or ordered according to the Rites of that Book, since the second year of the forenamed, King Edward unto this time, or hereafter shall be consecrat. ed or ordered according to the same Rites; we decree all such to be rightly, orderly, and lawfully consecrated and ordered."

Our Reformers do not merely omit to ascribe to any Creed or other statement

of any doctrine, an intrinsic authority, or one derived from tradition, but in the Article on the three Creeds, they take care distinctly to assign the ground on which those are to be retained; viz., that "they may be proved by Holy Writ."

66

$25. As for the distinction drawn between making Tradition on the one hand an authority co-ordinate with Scripture," on the other hand "subordinate and blended with Scripture," I cannot but think it worse than nugatory. The latter doctrine I have no scruple in pronouncing the worse of the two; because while it virtually comes to the same thing, it is more insidious, and less likely to alarm a miud full of devout reverence for Scripture.

The Jews may resort, whenever it suits their purpose, (and often do,) to an appeal to their Scriptures INTERPRETED according to their tradition, in behalf of any thing they are disposed to maintain. I remember conversing some years ago with an educated Jew on the subject of some of their observances, and remarking, in the course of the conversation, that their prohibition of eating butter and flesh at the same meal, rested, I supposed, not like several other prohibitions, on the Mosaic written Laws, but on Tradition alone. No, he assured me it was prohibited in the Law. I dare say my readers would be as much at a loss as I was, to guess where. He referred me to Exod. xxiii. 19.

In like manner, if any ordinary student When men are told of points of faith of Scripture declares that he finds no which they are to receive on the authority warrant there for believing in the bodily of Tradition alone, quite independently of presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and any Scripture warrant, they are not un- that he finds on the contrary our Lord likely to shrink from this with doubt or a Himself declaring that "it is the Spirit disgust, which they are often relieved from that quickeneth," (giveth life;)" the flesh at once, by a renunciation, in words, of profiteth nothing," he is told that Tradisuch a claim, and by being assured that tion directs us to interpret literally the Scripture is the supreme Authority, and words "This is my Body," and that he that Tradition is to be received as its must not presume to set up his "private handmaid only,-as not independent of it, judgment" against the interpretation, and but "subordinate and blended with it." this, when perhaps he is assured by the And yet if any or every part of Scripture same person, on similar grounds, - that is to be interpreted according to a sup-"the whole Bible is one great Parable!” posed authoritative Tradition, and from If again he finds the Apostles ordainthat interpretation there is to be no appeal, ing Elders, (Presbyters,) and never alludit is plain that, to all practical purposes, ing to any person, except Christ Himthis comes to the same thing as an inde- self, as bearing any such office in the pendent Tradition. For on this system, Christian Church as that of the Levitical any thing may be made out of any thing. Priest, (Hiereus) he is told, on the authority of Tradition, which he must not dispute, that Presbyter means Hiereus, a sacrificing Priest. Mahomet's application to himself of the prophecy of Jesus, that He would send another Paraclete" or Comforter, was received by his followers on similar grounds; that is, it was an interpretation which he chose to put on the words; and woe to him who should dispute it!

* Nor, by the way, is it true that our Church has declared, in that, or in any other Article, "that

all such Articles as are necessary to be believed
for Salvation were comprised at first in the [Apos-
tles'] Creed. This, in fact, is neither doné, nor was
intended to be done, by the framers of that Creed;
if at least they held as I doubt not they did
the doctrine of the Atonement: for this
is not at
all mentioned in the Apostles' Creed. The cause,
I have no doubt, was that the doctrine had not in
the earliest ages been disputed. But at any rate,

the fact is certain, that the Creed does dwell on
the reality of the historical transaction only, the
actual death of Christ, without asserting for whom
or for what He suffered death.

It is not meant to be implied that all persons who take this view are, themselves, disposed to join the Romish Church, or to think little of the differences between that and their own. Distinctions may be felt as important by one person, which may appear to others, and may really be, utterly insignificant. The members, for instance, of the Russian branch, at least, of the Greek Church, are said to abhor image-worship, while they pay to pictures an adoration which Protestants would regard as equally superstitious.

If again we find the whole tenor of Scripture opposed to invocation of Saints, and Image-worship, we may be told that there is a kind of invocation of Saints

which the Scriptures, as interpreted by Tradition, allow and encourage. And so on, to an indefinite extent; just as effectually, and almost as easily, as if Tradition had been set up independent of Scripture, instead of being "blended. with it."*

*See Powell on Tradition, § 14-17.

[ocr errors]

me

ALLEGED IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN TEACHING.

"Tradition" and "Church interpretaion" are made, according to this system, ubordinate to, and dependent on ScripTure, much in the same way that some arasite plants are dependent on the trees hat support them. The parasite at first :lings to, and rests on the tree, which it gradually overspreads with its own oliage, till by little and little, it weakens and completely smothers it:

[ocr errors]

53

"You re

two burdens instead of one.
quire us," we might reply, "to believe,
first, that whatever you teach is true;
and secondly, besides this, to believe also,
that it is a truth contained in Scripture ;
and we are to take your word for both!"
§ 26. I can imagine persons urging, in
reply to what has been said, the import-
ance of giving the people religious instruc-
tion over and above the mere reading of
Scripture-the utility of explanations and
comments, and, the necessity of creeds
and catechisms, &c.; and dwelling also on
the reverence due to antiquity, and on the
arrogancy of disregarding the judgment
of pious and learned men, especially of
such as lived in or near the times of the
Apostles.

«Miraturque novas frondes, et non sua poma." te And it may be added that the insidious character of this system is still further increased, if the principle be laid down without following it out, at once, into all the most revolting consequences that may follow, and that have followed, from its adoption. For by this means a contrast It is almost superfluous to remark that is drawn between the most extravagant, nothing at variance with all this has been and a far more moderate, system of false- here advanced. The testimony of ancient hood and superstition; and it is insinu- writers as to the facts, that such and such ated that this favourable contrast is the doctrines or practices did or did not preresult of the one being built on "co-vail in their own times, or that such and ordinate" and the other on "subordi- such a sense was, in their times, conveyed nate" Tradition; the real difference being by certain passages of Scripture, may often only that every usurped and arbitrary be very valuable; provided we keep clear power, is usually exercised with compara- of the mistake of inferring, either that tive leniency at first, till it has been well whatever is ancient is to be supposed established. Let but the principle which apostolical, or even necessarily, in accordis common to both systems be estab-ance with apostolical teaching; (as if erlished; and the one may be easily made to answer all the purposes of the other.

rors had not crept in, even during the lifetime of the Apostles,) or again, that every practice and regulation that really had the sanction of the Apostles (and which, therefore, must be concluded to have been the best, at that time) was designed by them,

And all this time the advocates of this authoritative tradition may loudly proclaim that they require no assent to any thing but what "may be proved by Scripture;" that is, proved to them; and which, on the ground of their conviction, must be implicitly received by every man. It is most important,-when the expression is used of "referring to Scripture as the infallible standard," and requiring assent to such points of faith only as can be thence proved, to settle clearly, in the outset, the important question, "proved to whom?" If any man or Body of men refer us to Scripture, as the sole authoritative standard, meaning that we are not to be called on to believe any thing as a necessary point of faith, on their word, but only on our own conviction that it is scriptural, then they place our faith on the basis, not of human authority, but of divine. But if they call on us, as a point of conscience, to receive whatever is proved to their satisfaction from Scriptures, even though it may appear to us unscriptural, then, instead of releasing us from the usurped authority of Man taking the place of God, they are placing on us | See Appendix, Note (K.)

when they abstained [see § 16] from recording it in writing, to be of universal and eternal obligation;-in short, that they entrusted to oral Tradition any of the essentials of Christianity.† And, again, the opinions of any author, ancient or modern, are entitled to respectful consideration in proportion as he may have been a sensible, pious, and learned man: provided we draw the line distinctly between the works of divine messengers inspired from above, and those of fallible men.

But what is the object (unless it be to * See Appendix, Note (L.).

† And yet one may find persons defending this view by alleging that we have the Scriptures themselves by Tradition. Any one may be believed to be serious in urging such an argument, if it is found that he places as much confidence in the genuineness of some account that has been transmitted from mouth to mouth by popular rumours from one end of the kingdom to another, as in a letter that has been transmitted over the same space.

mystify the readers, and draw off their | formable to each other, this is quite difattention from the real question) of dwell- ferent from saying that either of them ing on truths which are universally ad- derives all its authority from the other. mitted,* not only in theory but in practice, On the other hand, our Reformers do not by Christians of every denomination? Ca- maintain merely that the Creeds which techisms, oral or written, expositions of they receive are agreeable to Scripture; Scripture-religious discourses or tracts, but that they are to be received because of some kind or other, &c., are in use, they may be proved from Scripture. more or less, among all. The utility, and indeed necessity, of human instruction, both for young Christians and adults, has never, that I know of, been denied by any Christian Church or denomination. The only important distinction is between those who do, and those who do not, permit, and invite, and encourage their hearers to "search the Scriptures whether these things be so," which they are taught by their pastors.

It is to be observed, however, that what I am speaking of is a reference to Scripture, as the sole basis of the articles of necessary faith, the only decisive authority.

For

The distinction, as I have above remarked, is apparent only, and not really important, between those who require the acceptance of what they teach, independently of Scripture, and those who do refer to Scripture as the ground of their own conviction, or at least as confirmatory of their teaching, but require their interpretations of Scripture to be implicitly received; denying to individuals the right and the duty of judging ultimately for themselves. The real distinction is between those who do, and those who do not recognize this right and duty. if a certain comment is to be received implicitly and without appeal, it not only is Some persons, while claiming reception placed, practically, as far as relates to every for such and such confessions of faith, thing except a mere question of dignity, declare continually and with much earnest- on a level with Scripture,† but has also a ness, that they are teaching nothing but strong and as experience has abundantly what is "conformable to Scripture," proved,-an increasing tendency to super"agreeable to Scripture," &c. And the unwary are often misled by not attending to the important distinction, between this, -between what is simply agreeable to Scripture, and what is derived from Scripture,-founded on it, and claiming no other authority.

[ocr errors]

When it is said that the Old Testament and the New are not at variance, but con

* It is no uncommon practice with some writers, to shelter (as in the present instance) some paradoxical tenet, when opposed, under the guise of a truism; and, when this has been admitted with out suspicion, to unmask the battery as it were, and by a seemingly slight change, to convert a self-evident and insignificant truth into a dogma of fearful importance. Thus for instance, when we are sometimes told, with much solemn earnestness, of the importance of holding fast "the faith of the Holy Catholic Church," this is explained as being "what has been held by all Christians, always, and every where:" [" quod semper, quod ubique, quod ab omnibus:"] and of course no one can think of denying that what has always been held universally by all Christians as a part of their faith, must be a part of the universal [or Catholic] faith. There "needs no ghost to tell us that;" as it is in fact only saying that " Catholic" means "Universal," and that what is believed is believed. But when the wooden horse has been introduced, it is found to contain armed men concealed within it. "All Christians" is explained to mean "all the orthodox;" and the "orthodox" to be, those in agreement with the authors who are instructing us.

sede it. A regular and compact system of theology, professedly compiled from Scripture, or from "Scripture and Tradition blended together," if it be that which, after all, we must acquiesce in as infallible, whether it accord or not with what appears to us to be the sense of Scripture, being more compendious and methodical than the Sacred Books themselves, will naturally be preferred by the learner. And all study, properly so called, of the rest of Scripture,-(for on the above supposition, such a comment would be itself a part of Scripture, infallible and divinely inspired, as much as the rest)—all lively interest in

* See Dr. Hawkins on the Duty of Private Judgment,

Among the Parliamentarians at the time of the Civil War, there were many,--at first a great majority,-who professed to obey the King's commands, as notified to them by Parliament, and levied forces in the King's name, against his person. If any one admitted Parliament to be the sole and authoritative interpreter and expounder of the regal commands, and this, without any check from any other power, it is plain that he virtually admitted the sovereignty of that Parliament, just as much as if he had recognized their formal deposition of the King. The parallelism of this case with the one before us is too obvious to need being dwelt on.

See Essay (Third Series) on "Undue Reliance on Human Authority."

the perusal, would be nearly superseded | is right;"-as long as the Church "orby such an inspired compendium of doc- dains nothing contrary to God's word," trine; to which alone, as being far the-nothing, in short, beyond what a Chrismost convenient for that purpose, habitual tian Community is authorized both by reference would be made in any question the essential character of a Community, that might arise. Both would be regard- and by Christ's sanction, to enact; and ed, indeed, as of divine authority; but the requires nothing to be believed as a point compendium, as the fused and purified of Christian faith "that may not be demetal; the other, as the mine, containing clared"* (i. e. satisfactorily proved) to be the crude ore. taken from Holy Scripture. But when a Church or any of its Pastors ceases to make this payment on demand-if I may so speak-of Scripture-proof,† and requires implicit faith, on human authority, in human dogmas or interpretations, all check is removed to the introduction of any conceivable amount of falsehood and superstition; till human inventions may have overlaid and disfigured Gospel truth, and Man's usurped authority have gradually superseded divine: even as was the case with the rabbinical Jews, who continued to profess the most devout reverence for the Mosaic Law, even at the time when we are told that "in vain they worshipped God, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."t

§ 27. The uses are so important, and the abuses so dangerous, of the instruction which may be afforded by uninspired Christian teachers, that it may be worth while still farther to illustrate the subject by an analogy, homely perhaps and undignified, but which appears to me perfectly apposite, and fitted by its very familiarity to answer the better its purpose of affording explanation.

The utility of what is called paper currency is universally acknowledged and perceived. Without possessing any intrinsic value, it is a convenient representative of coins and ingots of the precious metals. And it possesses this character, from its being known or confidently believed, that those who issue it are ready, § 28. It is worth remarking also that on demand, to exchange it for those pre- the persons who make this use of Tradicious metals. And the occurrence, from tion are often found distinctly advocating time to time, of this demand, and the the deliberate suppression, in the instrucconstant liability to it, are the great check tion of the great mass of Christians, of a to an over issue of the paper money. large portion of the Gospel doctrines But if paper money be made a legal tender which are the most earnestly set forth in and not convertible into gold and silver at Scripture; as a sort of esoteric mystery, the pleasure of the holder-if persons are of which ordinary believers are unworthy, required to receive it in payment, by an and which should be "reserved" as a arbitrary decree of the Government, either reward for a long course of pious subthat paper shall be considered as having mission. This system of "reserve" or an intrinsic value, or again, that it shall "economy" is vindicated, by studiously be considered as representing bullion, or confounding it with the gradual initialand,* or some other intrinsically valuable tion of Christians in the knowledge of commodity, the existence and amount of their religion, in proportion as they are which, and the ability of Government to " able to bear it;" i. e. able and willing produce it, are to be believed, not by the to understand each point that is presented test of any one's demanding and obtain- to their minds: and the necessity of graing payment, but on the word of the very dual teaching, of reading the first line government that issues this inconverti- of a passage before the second, and the ble paper currency, then the consequences which ensue are well known. The precious metals gradually disappear, and a profusion of worthless paper alone remains.

Even so it is with human teaching in religion. It is highly useful, as long as the instructers refer the People to Scripture, exhorting and assisting them to "prove all things and hold fast that which

*This was the case with the Assignats and Mandats of France.

care requisite to avoid teaching any thing which, though true in itself, would be falsely understood by the hearers, is thus confounded with the system of withholding a portion of Gospel truth from those

* The Word "declared" is likely to mislead the English reader, from its being ordinarily used in the present day in a different sense. The Latin "declarare" of which it was evidently intended to to be a translation, signifies "to make clear"—"to set forth plainly."

See Appendix, Note (M.)

See Dr. Hawkins on Tradition.

« НазадПродовжити »