THORITY. Does the sect to which you belong, look upon the Church as a society or body of which Christ is the Head? Do you hold that the word of God recognizes only one such body? If only one, should agreement prevail among its members, or may it resemble a house divided against itself? If men would enjoy the privileges which Christ purchased, must they not be united to that body of which He is the Head? Do you hold that Christ alone could lay the foundations of the Church? What are your notions of the constitution of the Church? Is it a kingdom governed by duly authorized rulers? Is it a household managed by commissioned stewards? Or what do you reckon the Church to be like, and what is necessary for its preservation and peace? Do you hold that CHRIST alone has an inherent power to receive men into His Church? If so, Do you hold that Christ's authority is necessary before any one can act as His ambassador, and dispense the means of grace? For example; were a heathen to take it upon himself to baptize, would such baptism unite men to Christ's mystical body, the Church? If not, What authority is requisite to render valid the acts of one who appears in Christ's stead, and as His minister? From what period does your sect date its origin? How did your Ministers, at first, derive their authority? Is there any reason to conclude from the word of God, that God will bless extraordinary means, when the ordinary means of His appointment are slighted? By whom is Christ's kingdom upon earth to be governed? Do you hold that any set of men may, at any time, form a Church for themselves, and appoint some of their number to act as their Ministers a.-On the supposition that the first Christians were Presbyterians or Independents, can you give any account of the reason why they proved unfaithful to their principles, or of the time when they resolved to abandon Presbyterianism and adopt Episcopacy? If so unfaithful in this respect, how can we know that they did not also corrupt the Scriptures of truth, or change the holy Ordinances through which Divine grace is communicated ?—Perhaps you will reply, "God would not permit His Word and Sacraments to be corrupted." But what is the historical fact? It is,that God has indeed preserved His Word, and Sacraments, and Ministry, in some parts of His Church; but that there is no reason to conclude, that in every part of Christendom, He will miraculously interfere to preserve any one of these. Nay, on the contrary, history informs us, that attempts have successfully been made. to vitiate or conceal His word, and to alter and deteriorate the means of grace; in like manner as they have been made, particularly in latter days, to slight and despise the authority of His Ministry, and the mode of government originally instituted in His Church. But did God in any of these cases miraculously interfere? Due warning He has indeed given to all, of the benefits which must accrue to them, if they faithfully respect the sacred character of these things, and the loss they must sustain if they despise them. For these reasons, Do you not perceive, that supposed infidelity on the part of a Saul would not wait the arrival of Samuel, but constituted himself a Priest; but he was not a gainer: in such a case, obedience is better than sacrifice. сс the early Christians, in regard to Church government, and the authority of the Priesthood, would be fatal to the claims of purity and integrity which we demand for the word of God, and the holy Sacraments, and many other things connected with Christian faith and practice? Do you not think, that it would betray want of faith in the goodness and providence of God to argue, that peculiar circumstances might occur to form reasonable ground of necessity for assuming the Ministerial authority, and forming a Church, independent of the ordinary and instituted means? Where such supposed necessity has existed, would not patience, with humble trust in God's mercy, for a short time, have proved that the defect might have been supplied in the way of God's own appointment? Is not rashness in regard to things sacred, very much reprobated in Holy Scripture? These, or similar questions, are to be proposed, not from factious motives far from it; nor with the view of stirring up controversy-far from it: but they are to be proposed for the simple purpose of shewing, that the points in dispute, between Episcopalians and others, are not of that non-essential character which some may suppose. By these questions, none will be condemned for holding their opinions, be what they may; whilst Episcopalians may be able, by means of the same questions, to convince their adversaries that it is not merely about trifles that there is any dispute. Neither the opinions nor the prejudices of any man need be assailed; but, at the same time, it is expedient that the principles of the Episcopalian be not shaken by the vague assertion that it is only about things indifferent that he contends; an assertion, which these queries will probably convince, even those who adduce it, to be gratuitous and false. As true faith is the only source from which blameless practice can flow; so correct knowledge of the principles and opinions of adverse parties, is the only means by which Churchmen can be convinced of the reasonableness of their conduct, in keeping aloof from all the various religious sects and denominations around them. THE END. OXFORD: BY THE SAME AUTHOR. SCOTTISH EPISCOPACY AND SCOTTISH EPISCOPALIANS. Three Sermons Preached in St. James' Episcopal Chapel, Cruden. THE UNCHANGEABLE NATURE OF TRUE RELIGION, AND THE EVER-VARYING SYSTEMS OF HUMAN DEVICE. A SERMON, PREACHED IN ST. PETER'S CHAPEL, PETERHEAD, ON THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1835. Being the Day appointed as a PUBLIC FAST, by the * A cheap Edition of THE OLD PATHS will be published for the use of Schools, and for distribution by Clergymen and others. |