able and willing to receive it;-the system of "shunning to set before men all the counsel of God," and of having one kind of religion for the initiated few, and another for the mass of the Christian World. Very different was the Apostle Paul's Gospel, which he assures us, if it was hid, was hid from them that are lost," (men on the road to destruction, ¿ñoλλvμévous,) “whom the god of this world hath blinded."

whether alone or "blended with Scripture," so, he ought not to insist on the acceptance, as essential, of any thing which, even though it may be satisfac torily proved from Scripture, yet it is so slightly hinted at there, that till attention has been called to it, and the arguments by which it is supported brought toge ther, whole Churches for whole genera tions together may have studied Scripture without finding it. I do not say that nothing of this character should be main tained, and supported by arguments which may satisfactorily prove it; but it should not be maintained as something necessary to Salvation, unless it is clearly revealed to an ordinary reader of candid mind.

But the charge of teaching something different from what they inwardly believe, the advocates of this system repel, by alleging that all they do teach is agreeable to Scripture, although they withhold a part, and do not teach all that is to be found in Scripture: as if this did not as effectually constitute two different reli- For instance, there are some who think gions as if they had added on something that an intermediate state of consciousof their own. For, by expunging or sup-ness, and others, of unconsciousness,pressing at pleasure, that which remains between death and the resurrection,— may become totally different from what may be proved from Scripture; but I the religion would have been if exhibited cannot think it justifiable to represent as a whole. either opinion as an essential article of

It has been remarked that every statue faith. existed in the block of marble from Again, the call of the Gentiles to be which it was carved; and that the Sculp- partakers with the Jews of the privileges tor merely discloses it, by removing the of God's People, and the termination of superfluous portions;-that the Medicean the Mosaic dispensation, are contained, Venus, for instance, has not in it a single but not clearly revealed, in the Old Tesparticle which did not originally exist tament, and in the discourses of our exactly in the same relative position as Lord; these doctrines are not so obviously now; the artist having added nothing, contained there, as to make them an but merely taken away. Yet the statue is essential part of the Jewish faith. This. as widely different a thing from the origi- therefore, was a case in which a fresh nal block, as if something had been and distinct declaration, supported by added. What should we think of a man's miraculous evidence, was fairly to be expleading that such an image is not con-pected: and this was accordingly afforded. templated in the commandment against A distinct miraculous revelation was made making an image, because it is not to the Apostle Peter as, to this very "made," as if it had been moulded, or cast, point.* out of materials brought together for the § 29. In saying that the essential docpurpose? Should any one scruple to trines of Christianity are to be found in worship a moulded, but not a sculptured Scripture, or may be satisfactorily proven image, his scruple would not be more from it, and that the enactments of any absurdly misplaced, than if he should Church, with a view to good government, hold himself bound, in his teaching, not "decency and order," derive a sufficient to add on to Scripture any thing he did authority from that very circumstance, innot believe to be true, but allowed to sup- asmuch as the Apostle commands us to press any portions of Gospel truth at his "do all things decently and in order," pleasure, and to exhibit to his People the and our Heavenly Master has given power remaining portions, as the whole system to "bind and loose" in respect to such of their religion. regulations, I do not mean to imply that such reasons always will, in fact, prove satisfactory to careless and uncandid reasoners-to the fanciful, the wilful, and

It may be added also, that as a Christian teacher is not authorized either to suppress any portion of the Gospel as unfit for those disposed and able to receive it, or to inculcate as an essential portion of it, any thing not revealed in Scripture, but dependent on Tradition,

According to our Lord's promise respecting the Holy Spirit :-He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance," &c

UNSOUND REASONS IN AID OF SOUND ONES.

57

the arrogant. But nothing is in reality The Christian course is beset by dangers.
gained by endeavouring to add force to They are an essential part of our trial on
sound reasons by the addition of unsound Earth. We are required to be on our
ones. To seek, when men will not lis- guard against them; but we must never
ten to valid arguments, for some other expect, here below, to be exempt from
arguments which they will listen to will, them. And there is nothing necessarily
I am convinced, (to say nothing of its un- gained by exchanging one danger for an-
fairness,) be found in the end to be un- other; the danger of erring in our own
wise policy.
judgment, for that of following imperfect,
uncertain or corrupted traditions.

But to maintain the right of any Community-a Church among others—to establish, abrogate, or alter, regulations and institutions of any kind, is understood by some as amounting to an approval of

or conceivably might be done, by virtue of that claim; as if a sanction were thus given to perpetual changes, the most rash, uncalled for, and irrational. But what is left to men's discretion, is not therefore meant to be left to their indiscretion. To maintain that a power exists, is not to maintain either that it matters not how it is used, or again that it cannot possibly

Yet I cannot but suspect that the principles I have been deprecating must have been sometimes maintained by persons not altogether blind to the inconsistent consequences they lead to, but actuated by a desire of impressing on the minds of the multitude not only an additional every thing that either ever has been done, confidence in the doctrines of our Church, but also that reverence, which is so often found to be deficient, for Church institutions and enactments, and for regularly ordained Christian Ministers and that they have been influenced by a dread of certain consequences as following from an adherence to what I have pointed out as the only sound and secure principles.* For instance, it has been thought dan-be abused. gerous to acknowledge a power in any The absurdity of such a mode of reaBody of uninspired men to depart in the soning would be at once apparent in any smallest degree from the recorded precedents of the earliest Churches including (be it remembered by the way) those existing after the times of the Apostles, and therefore consisting, themselves, of uninspired men. And a danger there certainly is; a danger of the mis-use of any power, privilege, or liberty, trusted to any one.

*For instance, the view taken (see Thoughts on the Sabbath) of the Lord's Day, as a Church festival observed in memory of Christ's resurrection on the first day of the week, and not in compliance with the Mosaic Law, I have seen objected

other case. For instance, the Senate, Parliament, or other legislative Body of this or any other country, has clearly a right to pass or to reject any proposed law that is brought before it; and has an equal right to do the one or the other; now no one in his senses would understand by this, that it is equally right to do the one or the other:-that whatever is left to the legislator's decision, must be a matter of absolute indifference; and that whatever is to be determined by his judgment, may fairly be determined according to his caprice.

to, on the ground that "men are apt not to pay so
much deference to the enactments of the Church,
A Church, and the same may be said
as to express commands of Scripture." That is of a State, may so far abuse its power,
to say, although the Mosaic Law be not really and exceed the just limits of that power,
binding on Christians (for, if it were, and the ob- as to make enactments which a man may
servance of the Lord's day were a part of it, that be bound in conscience to disobey; as,
would supersede all need of other arguments) yet
it is advisable to teach men that it is, in order that for instance, if either an ecclesiastical or
they may be the more ready to observe the Lord's civil Government should command men
Day. The Church therefore is to be represented, (as the Roman Emperors did the early
and that to men who, by supposition, are dis- Christians) to join in acts of idolatrous
posed to undervalue Church authority,- as hav-
ing taken the liberty to alter a divine command- worship; or (as was done towards the
Saxon Clergy) to put away their wives.
ment of acknowledged obligation, by changing
the seventh day of the week to the first (besides But this does not do away the truth of
alterations in the mode of observance) in compli- the general assertion that "the Powers
ance with a supposed tradition, that the Apostles that be are ordained of God ;"-that both
sanctioned-which it is plain from Scripture they
did not-this transference of the Sabbath. This

is surely expecting an unreasonable deference for
Church authority from men who, it is supposed,
are unwilling to yield to it such a deference as is
reasonable.

H

civil and ecclesiastical Governments have a right to make enactments that are not contrary to religion or morality.

And again; even these enactments.such as a State or a Church does possess

a right to make,-it is not only conceiv- a Minister in all Christendom who is able able, but highly probable, that there will to trace up with any approach to certainty be some which may appear to many per- his own spiritual pedigree. The sacrasons, and perhaps with reason, to be not mental virtue (for such it is, that is imthe very wisest and best. In such a case, plied,-whether the term be used or not a man is bound to do his best towards in the principle I have been speaking of) the alteration of those laws:* but he is dependent on the imposition of hands, not, in the mean time, exempted from with a due observance of apostolical obedience to laws which he may not fully usages, by a Bishop, himself duly conseapprove. For supposing his objections crated, after having been in like manner to any law to be well founded, still, as baptized into the Church, and ordained infallibility does not exist among men, Deacon and Priest, this sacramental all Professions and precepts relative to virtue, if a single link of the chain be the duty of submission to Government faulty, must, on the above principles, be would be nugatory, if that duty were to utterly nullified ever after, in respect of be suspended and remain in abeyance, till all the links that hang on that one. an unerring government should arise. if a Bishop has not been duly consecrated, or had not been, previously, rightly ordained, his Ordinations are null; and so are the ministrations of those ordained by him; and their Ordination of others; (supposing any of the persons ordained by him to attain to the episcopal office) and so on, without end. The poisonous taint of informality, if it once creep in undetected, will spread the infection of nullity to an indefinite and irremediable extent.

If any one, accordingly, is convinced that a certain Church is essentially unscriptural, he cannot with a sound conscience belong to its communion. But he may consistently adhere to it, even though he should be of opinion that in some non-essential points it has adopted regulations which are not the most expedient. He may still consistently hold these to be binding, as coming from a competent authority; though he may wish that they had been, or that they should be, settled otherwise.

§ 30. But as there are some persons who are too ready to separate from any religious Community on slight grounds, or even through mere caprice, to "heap up to themselves teachers, having itching ears," it has been thought, or at least maintained, that the only way of affording complete satisfaction and repose to the scrupulous, and of repressing schism, is to uphold, under the title of "Church principles," the doctrine that no one is a member of Christ's Church, and an heir of the covenanted Gospel promises, who is not under a Ministry ordained by Bishops descended in an unbroken chain from the Apostles.

Now what is the degree of satisfactory assurance that is thus afforded to the scrupulous consciences of any members of an Episcopal Church? If a man consider it as highly probable that the particular Minister at whose hands he receives the sacred Ordinances is really thus apostolically descended, this is the very utmost point to which he can, with any semblance of reason, attain: and the more he reflects and inquires, the more cause for hesitation he will find. There is not *See “Appeal in behalf of Church Government;" (Houlston;) a very able pamphlet. † See Sermon on Obedience to Laws.

For

And who can undertake to pronounce that during that long period usually designated as the Dark Ages, no such taint ever was introduced? Irregularities could not have been wholly excluded without a perpetual miracle; and that no such miraculous interference existed, we have even historical proof. Amidst the numerous corruptions of doctrine and of practice, and gross superstitions, that crept in, during those ages, we find recorded descriptions not only of the profound ignorance and profligacy of life, of many of the Clergy, but also of the grossest irregularities in respect of discipline and form. We read of Bishops consecrated when mere children;-of men officiating who barely knew their letters of Prelates expelled, and others put into their places, by violence;-of illiterate and profligate laymen, and habitual drunkards, admitted to Holy Orders; and in short, of the prevalence of every kind of disorder, and reckless disregard of the decency which the Apostle enjoins. It is inconceivable that any one even moderately acquainted with history, can feel a certainty, or any approach to certainty, that, amidst all this confusion and corruption, every requisite form was, in every instance, strictly adhered to, by men, many of them openly profane and secular, unrestrained by public opinion, through the gross ignorance of the population

DIFFICULTY OF ASCERTAINING UNBROKEN SUCCESSION..

is among which they lived; and that no one not duly consecrated or ordained was admitted to sacred offices.

59

It is no wonder, therefore, that the advocates of this theory studiously disparage reasoning, deprecate all exercise of the mind in reflection, decry appeals to evidence, and lament that even the power of reading should be imparted to the People. It is not without cause that they dread and lament" an Age of too much light," and wish to involve religion in "a solemn and awful gloom."* It is not without cause that, having removed the Christian's confidence from a rock, to base it on sand, they forbid all prying curiosity to examine their foundation.

Even in later and more civilized and enlightened times, the probability of an irregularity, though very greatly diminished, is yet diminished only, and not absolutely destroyed. Even in the memory of persons living, there existed a Bishop concerning whom there was so much mystery and uncertainty prevailing as to when, where, and by whom he had been ordained, that doubts existed in the mind, of many persons whether he had ever been ordained at all. I do not say that there was good ground for the suspicion: but I speak of the fact, that it did prevail; and that the circumstances of the case were such as to make manifest" Apostolical succession" of the particular the possibility of such an irregularity occurring under such circumstances.

Now, let any one proceed on the hypothesis that there are, suppose, but a hundred links connecting any particular minister with the Apostles, and let him even suppose that not above half of this number pass through such periods as admit of any possible irregularity; and then, placing at the lowest estimate the probability of defectiveness in respect of each of the remaining fifty, taken separately, let him consider what amount of probability will result from the multiplying of the whole together. The ultimate consequence must be, that any one who sincerely believes that his claim to the benefits of the Gospel-Covenant depends on his own Minister's claim to the supposed sacramental virtue of true Ordination, and this again, on perfect Apostolical Succession as above described, must be involved, in proportion as he reads, and inquires, and reflects, and reasons on the subject, in the most distressing doubt and perplexity.

*

The fallacy, indeed, by which, according to the above principles, the Christian is taught to rest his own personal hopes of salvation on the individual claims to

Minister he is placed under, is one so gross that few are thoughtless enough to be deceived by it in any case where Religion is not concerned;-where, in short, a man has not been taught to make a virtue of uninquiring, unthinking acquiescence. For the fallacy consists in confounding together the unbroken Apostolical succession of a Christian Ministry generally, and the same succession, in an unbroken line, of this or that individual Minister. The existence of such an Order of Men as Christian Ministers, continuously from the time of the Apostles to this day, is perhaps as complete a moral certainty, as any historical fact can be; because (independently of the various incidental notices by historians, of such a class of persons) it is plain that if, at the present day, or a century ago, or ten centuries ago, a number of men had appeared in the world, professing (as our Clergy do now) to hold a recognized office in a Christian Church, to which they had been regularly appointed as successors to others, whose predecessors, in like manner, had held the same, and so on, from the time of the Apostles,-if, I say, such a pretence had been put forth by a set of men assuming an office which no one had ever heard of before,—it is plain that they would at once have been refuted and exposed And as this will course, if different data are assumed, or a different apply equally to each successive generasystem is adopted of computing the rate at which tion of Christian Ministers, till we come the uncertainty increases at each step, the ultimate up to the time when the institution was result will be different as to the degree of uncer- confessedly new, that is, to the time tainty; but when once it is made apparent that a when Christian Ministers were appointed considerable and continually increasing uncertainty does exist, and that the result must be, in by the Apostles, who professed themselves eye-witnesses of the Resurrection,

* Supposing it to be one hundred to one, in each separate case, in favour of the legitimacy and regularity of the transmission, and the links to amount to fifty, (or any other number) the probability of the unbroken continuity of the whole chain must be computed as 99-100 of 99-100 of 99-100, &c., to the end of the whole fifty. Of

respect of any individual case, a matter of chance,
it can be of no great consequence to ascertain
precisely what the chances are on each side.

* Κλέπτη δέ τε νυκτὸς ἀμείνω

we have (as Leslie has remarked) a standing Monument, in the Christian Ministry, of the fact of that event as having been proclaimed immediately after the time when it was said to have occurred. This therefore is fairly brought forward as an evidence of its truth.

But if each man's Christian hope is made to rest on his receiving the Christian Ordinances at the hands of a Minister to whom the sacramental virtue that gives efficacy to those Ordinances has been transmitted in unbroken succession from hand to hand, every thing must depend on that particular Minister and his claim is by no means established from our merely establishing the uninterrupted existence of such a class of men as Christian Ministers. "You teach me," a man might say, "that my salvation depends on the possession by you-the particular Pastor under whom I am placed-of a certain qualification; and when I ask for the proof that you possess it, you prove to me that it is possessed generally, by a certain class of persons of whom you are one, and probably by a large majority of them!" How ridiculous it would be thought, if a man laying claim to the throne of some Country should attempt to establish it without producing and proving his own pedigree, merely by showing that that Country had always been under hereditary regal government! § 31. Then as to the danger of Schism, nothing can be more calculated to create or increase it, than to superadd to all the other sources of difference among Christians, those additional ones resulting from the theory we are considering. Besides all the divisions liable to arise relative to the essential doctrines of Scripture, and to the most important points in any system of Church-Government, Schisms, the most difficult to be remedied, may be created by that theory from individual cases of alleged irregularity.

A most remarkable instance of this, is furnished in the celebrated schism of the Donatist, in Africa, in the beginning of the fourth century. They differed in no point of doctrine or Church-discipline from their opponents, the Orthodox, (that is, the predominant party) but were at issue with them on the question as to an alleged irregularity in the appointment of a certain Bishop; whose ordinations consequently of other Bishops and Presby

ters, they inferred, were void; and hence the baptisms administered by those ministers were void, and their whole ministration profane; so that they rebaptized all who joined their party, (as I believe the Greek Church does, to this day,) and regarded their opponents in the light of Heathen. And this schism distracted the greater part of the Eastern portion of the Church for upwards of two hundred years.

And an attempt was made in the last century, by the Non-jurors, to introduce, in these realms, the everspreading canker of a similar schism. They denied the episcopal character of those who had succeeded the displaced prelates; and, consequently, regarded as invalid the Orders conferred by them; thus preparing the way for all the consequences resulting from the Donatist schism.

The sect died away before long, through a happy inconsistency on the part of its supporters; who admitted the claims of the substituted Bishops on the death of their predecessors; though it is hard to understand how those who were not true Bishops at first, could become such, through a subsequent event, without being reconsecrated: the Presbyters ordained by them becoming at the same time true Presbyters, though their Ordination had been invalid. It seems like maintaining that a woman, who during her husband's life-time marries another man, and has a family, becomes, on her real husband's death, the lawful wife of the other, and her children legitimate.

More recently still, an attempt was made of the same nature, on the occasion of the suppression (as it was called) of some of the Irish Bishoprics; that is, the union of them with others. It has been publicly and distinctly declared that an effort was made to represent this measure as amounting to an "interruption of Apostolical succession:" though it is not very easy to say how this was to be made out, even on the above principles.†

*I do not mean to maintain, that this was seriintelligence and learning-who put it forward. It ously believed by all those-some of them men of may very likely have been one of their "exoteric doctrines," designed only for the Multitude. But, be this as it may, they evidently meant that it should be believed by others, if not by themselves.

According to this view, the Apostolical succession must have been long since lost in some parts of England, and the greatest part of Ireland. For there were many such unions existing before the Act in question: such as Cork and Ross See Waddington's Ecclesiastical History, &c. Ferns and Leighlin, and several others.

* Short Method with Deists.