Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014 https://archive.org/details/dutiesnowespeciaOOives THE DUTIES NOW ESPECIALLY CALLED FOR, TO PRESEHYE THE FAITH OF THE CKCRCH, A CHARGE TO THE CLERGY OF THE DIOCESE OF NORTH CAROLINA, DELIVERED IN CHRIST CHURCH, KEWBERN, OS- THH Fifth Sunday after Easteri MAY 8TH, 1836. BY LEVI SII.I.™aN ITES, I>. D» BISHOP Of THB SIOCESB.' PUBLISHED BY REQUEST 0¥ THB CONTENTIOlf. Ralcigb': PRINTED BY J. GALES & SOIf.^ 1S36. TAKE HEBD UNTO THE DOOTUINE. A €IIARO£ My Brethren op the Clergy ; Impressed by the solemn engagement, so solemnly entered into at my consecration, that I would be readjf with all faithful diligence, not only to banish and drive away from the Church, all erroneous and strange doctrine, contrary to God^s word, but also, both private- ly AND OPENLY, TO CALL UPON AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS to the same;^ I have felt it my duty, on this occasion, to invite your attention to what, in regard to the Faith of the Church, seems to me especially called for^ by the pre* sent state of Religion in our country. Never, I am convinced, has there been a period since the establishment of the Redeemer's Kingdom, bearing more critically upon its interests, than the one, in which we have been summoned to our post, as watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem, •\ This period, indeed, appears to be marked by a ^xculiarity that gives it a fearful dis- tinction. There have been other periods perhaps as dark and trying. The awful reign of An ti- Christ, immediate- ly preceding the Reformation — the desperate alliance of the 17th century, between infidelity, dissent and Roman- ism in the mother country, formed a crisis of evils, it is true, of the most alarming description. But these evils brought with them their remedy. Their odious and un- blushing character aroused at once into action every faith- ful son of the Church, and secured an united effort— au • See the Torm of Goneeerating a Bishop. f Ewkitl ixxiiu T» 4 effort directed by more than human skill — for her rescue and defence. But now, the same evils^ under a different guise, are coming upon her, and her sons are comparative- ly asleep; few seem willing to contemplate or acknowl- edge her danger. Religious excitements, followed, on the one hand, by a rapid increase of infidelity, and on the other, by the tumults of schism, or the disasters of bold ex- periment, darken tlie fair face and weaken the hands of Protestantism ; while Popery, taking advantage of this state of miserable disorder, is again rallying her scattered forces, and making incredible advances to an ascendancy in our land of freedom. Still, through the stupidity of some, and the perverseness of others, the real character of the danger is kept comparatively out of view ; while the public mind is entertained and lulled, by magnified representations of Christian effort and success. It is true, as members of the Protestant Episcopal Church, we have great reason devoutly to thank God for comparative exemption from the evils so immediately and disastrously affecting the religious denominations around us. And far be it from your Bishop to excite unnecessary alarm for our future safety. He feels a thankful confi- dence in the promised protection of our Divine and Al- mighty Head : Lo, / am icitli you alway, even unto the end. of the ivorld,^ Still, as the Redeemer is Avith the Church in the jierson of his ministers, as well as by the agency of the Divine Spirit, and defends and advances her through their instrumentality, it behooves them to watch narrowly every change through which the public mind is passings that they may be rmcly ivith all faithful diligence^ to ban- ish and drive aivay from the Churchy all erroneous and • St. Matthev, xxv'm. t-X 5 strange doctrine, contrary to God^s word.^ And as the present is a period agitated in no common degree, by ^new measures/ and newly awakened influences; an urgent call is made upon us, to stand in the ways, and see, and ask far the old paths,\ that w^e may preserve inviolate the truth as it is in Jesus— 'the Faith of the Cliurcli. .To show the urgency of our duty, in thus contending for the Faith, it will be my first object to state briefly some of the evils by w hich it is manifestly endangered. I. In ihit first place, there exists a growing disposi- tion to undervalue ^ospeZ truth, as the divinely appointed instrument of renewal and sanctitication. That spiritual appetite, engendered in the heated atmosphere of modern excitement, is not likely to be satisfied with the slow and silent effects of truth ; not likely to endure the sober ex- position, and grave enforcement of God's w^ord, so long as it can be fed and stimulated, by the startling novelties of human device. Hence the very small amount of that w^ord, w hich finds its way into those exciting and pro- tracted meetings now so generally and eagerly resorted to for the conversion of men ; and hence the miserable departure, in dignity, ^simplicity and godly sincerity,' from the apostolick model, Avhich characterizes so large a share of the preaching of our own time ; and hence too tliat re- luctant attendance upon the Services of the Church, an important part of which consists in the reading of Holy Scripture, whenever nothing more exciting is looked for. J In fact tlie word of God, as the sivord of the spirit,^ the chief instrument of subduing the rebellious heart, has long since been made to yield, by the consent of a large class of * The form and manner of ortleving Priests, j Jeremiali, vi. 16. ^ Ephcsians, vi. 17. i Compare our congregations, when a Sermon is expected, with tiiose that assembla at pravera. 6 well meaning, but untliiuking men, to a system of human- ly devised means, better fitted to awaken the passions; and play upon the fears. II. Again. The present habits of Christians incline them to give an exaggerated importance to certain truths, to the disparagement of others equally essential. The main thing sought, is excited feeling. Let the animal fervours be kindled, tlie sensibilities be made to glow, and the great end of Religion is supposed to be attained. A religious impression having been made, religious in- struction is accounted comparatively useless. Warm af- fections are deemed a sufficient antidote, against empty thoughts, and ill-regulated desires. The inference is per- fectly plain. That portion of Gospel truth will fall into neglect, which does not appeal directly to the heart. The convictions and tears of repentance will be insisted on; while its restitution and amendment will be matters of small concern. The love and the joy of Faith will receive a magnitude, in comparison with which, the submission it exacts to all the commandments and ordinances of God^^ will dwindle to a point. Here is the cause why one part of Gospel teaching receives, in our day, the title of essen- tials, and another of non-essentials ; and wliat God hath joined together p is thus impiously put asunder.-f III. A further tendency of the over-excitements of the day, is, so to exalt the ^ right of private judgment,^ in matters of Religion, as to loosen the mind from all fixed principles of interpretation ; to inflate it with false and arrogant notions of its own power, and satisfy it wdth the crudities of dogmatical ignorance, and the in- novations of self-appointed teaching, to the utter dis- • Luke, i. 6. I Mstthew, xix. 5. 7 regard of the wisdom of primitive antiquity^ tlie testi- mony of the Universal Churchy and the rights of the di- vinely commissioned dispensers of the truth of God. Ef- fect has become indeed the test of doctrine. If a man be in possession of the art of making an impression^ of saying something new^ however extravagant or absurd, something to sway the feelings, and enlist the sympathies of his hearers, his popularity is certain.* Thus the flip- pancy of youth, and the presumption of ignorance, are often cheered and caressed, while the gravity of experience, and the modesty of high attainment, look in vain for support. If a book be dressed up in a style of eccentricity and ro- mance, calculated to touch the sensibilities, and leave a pleasing excitement in the mind, little anxiety is felt on the score of its agreement with the Faith once delivered to the Saints. -f Hence the alarming fact, of such numbers of erroneous and hurtful volumes having found a place in our Family, Parochial, and Sunday School Libraries, to poison the minds of the young and unwary, and to bewilder and mislead them from the path of life. IV. Another feature in the temper of the day, is a reckless impatience in the investigation of Truth. Time and labour are no longer tliought of, as essential in ar- riving at correct religious views. The old methods of thorough catechetical training iji the nurture and admoni- Hon of the Lord,X although not condemned to entire disuse, are so little encouraged — made to occupy so subordinate a place, as to be deprived of their legitimate effect. The same is true in regard to our most instructive and judi- * The following prediction of St. Taul is clearly fulfilled in our day— " The time will come, when men will not endure sound doctrin* ; but having itching eaii., thej- ehall heap to themselves teacher* after their own lusta." f Jude, 3, i Ephesians, vi, 4, 8 cious tracts; those written at a timC; when the defence and inculcation of Truths and not the gratification of the jpas8ions,vifxs the object to be attained : when it was thought that a plain and honest statement of Gospel doctrine and du- tV; enforced by the authority of God; would do more^ wdth honest and good hearts^ tlian all the tales of pious fiction, or the sketches of wonderful experience. But the times are sadly altered. No longer can men endure the restraints of system^ or the drudgery of thinking ; no longer be persuaded; ' to ivovTc out their Salvation^ with fear and trembling '^^ An idle fancy, and an impatient thirst for sud- den and extraordinary impulses, spurn whatever requires the deliberate, the diligent, and continued application of the understanding; and dispose the sinner to sieze with avidity upon those ^new measures,' which promise a knowledge of eternal life, without searching^-, for it, and the rewards of eternal life, without daily striving for the mastery, X Y. The last evil I shall mention, as likely to endan- ger the faith of the church, arises from the false liberali^ ty of the day. Instead of following the apostolick direc- tion, ^try the spirits whether they be of God'TI — ^take heed unto the doctrine'|| — ^hold fast the form of sound v/ords'§ — = ^contend earnestly for the Faith'** — ^a man that is an here- tic after the first and second admonition reject ;'tf it has become fashionable to take every thing by the hand, which assumes the name of Christ ; and to brand as secta- rian and bigoted, whatever may be urged, it matters not how meekly, in defence of the one LouD; one Faith, one * Phil. ii. 12. f Prov. ii. 4— John v. 39— Acts, xvii. 2. i Luke xiii. 24-^11. Tim. ii. 5—1. Cor. ix. 25~Phil. i. 27. % I. John, iv. 1. I I. Tira. iv. 16. § II. Tim. i, 13. Jude, 3. ff TitUB, iii. 10. 9 Baptism,* taogbt, under hispiraiiou of God, by the a- posile of iha Gentiles. Tims the timid are silenced; the hand of discipline is paralized; the bulwarks of truth de- molislicd; and a fellowship formed between that and er- ror, repugnant to the word of God, perilous to the souls of men, and subversive of the Faith of the Church. f Furtlicr particulars might be noticed, but these are enough to convince us, my brethren, that a spirit is abroad in our day, adverse to the truth, and demanding of us, as the ministers of Christ, in the way of resistance, Sjiecial and important duties. These duties now, secondlij, permit me to suggest. I. First, we are called upon to have a special regard to tlie nature of our ministerial ojlce. When, in the faithful discharge of duty, public sen- timent is to be resisted and public odium met, it requires no common degree of firmness, not to be swayed by con- siderations of personal popularity and ease. Our coward- ice will plead for a conciliation — -our slothfuluess for a for- bearance — our selfishness for a liberality, wholly incom- * Eph iv. 5. I " There prevails in the proscnt day, a spurious kind of liberality, which WOUlJ teach us to regard with equal complaisancy, almost every diversity of religious opia- ion, however irreconcilable with the tenets which we ourselves believe to be the un- sophisticated doctrine of God's word. Hence, though that word is made by many the instrument of spreading religious error, yet, because it is appealed to for the sanc- tion of error, as well as of truth, w^e are often called upon to give the right hand of felhnvi^hip even to those by whom it is thus perverted. As if the time had already come, when the wolf should dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie down with the kid." [fsaiah, xi. 6,] and " nothing should hurt or destroy in all God's holy moun- tain," [Isaiah, xi. 9,] many arc lulled into secui'ity, under the persuasion, that error and falsehood arc harmless in their nature, and will cease to molest us, if we admit them into onr fold. According to this persuasion, Christian charity seems to have lost one of its distinctive characters, that of " rejoicing in the truth," [1 Cor. xiii. 6,] and to rejoice rather in sacrificing the truth for the semblance of concord. " The bond of peace" is no longer to be found in " unity of spirit," [Eph. iv. 3] — but diversity and disunion are to work the happy eflecl. A boundless latitudinarianism is to supply the place of fixed principles ; and to every religionist who professes to derive his tenets from the Scriptures, the plea is to be allowed of an equal adherence to Divine truth ; as if the word of God were responsible for whatever of confusion or contrariety may te engrafted upon it by human devices ! 6Ve Van Mildcrt'f Jiampton Lectures* 10 patible with Udelity to the truth. Effectually to resist these weaknesses of our nature^ it becomes us to be ever mindful that ive are not our oivn,^ hut ministers of Christ;\ that we bear Ms message^ act under his authority, and are answerable at his bar; that although by a faithless conceal- ment of that message, or a presumptuous misuse of that au- thority, w^e may think to escape worldly censure, the day of retribution is at hand, when the curse of having preached another Gosi^el^X will rest upon our souls. Brethren in the sacred office, it is a fearful thing to stand in Chrisfs steady before sinners ! to be the dispensers of the word of God to a perishing world! Honorable indeed is our calling ; but O, how tremendous will be our doom, should we. fail to fulfil it! Let, then, the censure and mis- construction of men be the reward of our faithfulness to Christ — let our boldness, m not shunnins; to declare ike whole counsel of God,^ subject us to the imputation of bigotry, or the vindictive violence of the enemies of truth, we have this for our answer — ' Our commission is from God ; we are entrusted with the words of eternal life; we have vowed fidelity in dispensing them, and we dare not break that vow ; we revere the authority of a heavenly mas- ter ; we rely upon his promise ; we fear to incur his wrath ^ ^ivhat the Lord our God^ then^ hath jput into our mouths^ that must ive speaTc^W II. This will suggest to us another duty especially in- cumbent — that of due suhnission to God and his Church, in learning and preaching the truth. Bound by the solemnity of an oath, at the altar of God, to give your faithful diligence ^ alivays so to minister the doctrine of Christ j as the Lord hath commanded, and as this * 1 Cor. vi. 13. i 1 Cor. iv. 1. t Galatians, i. 8. ^ 2 Cor. v. 20. t Acts, XX. !47. 3 Numbers, xxii. 58— xxiii. 12—1 Kings, xxii. U. 11 Church hath received the same,^ it can require no word* from me, to enforce the fiii-ther and consequent obli- gation, to diligence in reading the Holy Scrijjtiires, and in such studies as help to a knowledge of them.-\ As Protest- ants, we agree in taking the Scriptures as the rule of faith ^ so that whatever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should b& believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. % But as ministers of the Protest- ant Episcopal Church, we have made a solemn declara- tion of our belief in her doctriues as scriptural, and have vowed fidelity to her interests, and submission to her autho- rity, in diligently setting them forth, as the doctrines of God» We are not at liberty, tlierefore, to depart in the slightest degree, from the Faith of the Church, as expressed in her Articles and Liturgy, Our professed submission was volun- tary — it must be real and unqualified. To ensure this, how- ever, too great caution cannot be observed in the principles we adopt and the authorities we consult, in our study of God's word. This word is indeed the fountaiit of all truth, clear and unadulterated in itself; but a fountain, be it remem- bered, from which, through the passions and the pride of man, have proceeded many impure and noxious streams. He that drinketh of these streams may not actually die, but he will hardly escape serious injury. How important then, that, in our endeavors to understand the Scrip- tures, we avoid those fanciful and sceptical writings, so much consulted in ourday,*|[ to the unspeakable detriment * See the form and manner of ordering Priests. f In reading God's word, should we not be more likely to understand it, did W6 read it less as critics, and more as sinners ? Human reason and human learning are here necessary ; but do they not often stumble, when an humble heart and an en- lightening Spirit would have held them up ] ? Art. vi.of Arts, of Religion. ^Particular reference is here had to the great body of GEnwi."?? Tueologt. — Sea Bp. Jcbb's Primary Charge — Dr. John Pye Smith's Scripture Testimony to the Me*» »iah— and particularly^ Rose on the state of Protestantism in Germany. 12 of the truth. Even could our mi ads become familiar with their pages without harm from their levity and arro- gant assumptions^ our time would he too short and precious to admit the lawfulness of the sacrifice which their study would demand. At least; under the burdens which our parish duties must necessarily impose, we have no leisure to devote to other studies than such as are directly and positively subservient to our ministerial efficiency.* We regard the Church, as tJie ivitness and the keep- er of holy writ.f The principles therefore that guided her, in determining the sacred Canon, are the principles upon which we should proceed in getting a knowledge of its Truths. That which has been received, in alljjlaces^ at all times, and hy all the Faithful is not less deserving of confidence now, than it was, at the period when this test of its truth was adopted. As Churchmen, tlien, we may with equal right discard any book of the canonical scriptures, as any article of either the Nicene or the Aposile's creed :T[ the verity of both standing upon the same evidence — the ivitness of the Church, In searching the Scriptures, there- fore, we are to have special, and submissive regard to the doctrines of these our ancient creeds, as attested by the primitive Fathers. But, as many of you, my brethren, have no means of access to these Fathers, in the language in which they Vvere originally v/ritteu, — let me recommend, in their absence, an assiduous and care- ful study of the leading writers in the Church of England during the two centuries immediately subsequent to the * See Question 5th in form and manner of ordering Priests. -j- Art. xx. i Quod ubicjue, quod semper, quod ab 07imibus crediium est — The Commonitory of Vincentius Lirinensi?, chap. iii. — Eceves' pologies. ^ See Art. viii.— Bingham Antiquities, Book x, chap. iv. — Peareon on the Creed, Art. Tiii.— Burnet on Art. viii. — Bp. Bull's Defeneio Fidei Nicente. — See especially. Sermon viii. — Van Mildcrt's Bnmpton Lectures ; also, Sermon xv. vol, II. — Hobavt's Sermons on the p rincipal event,> and truths of Redemption. 13 reformation in that Country. The concentration of learn- ing, the force of arguiuent, the singleness of purpose^ the humbleness of mind, the Scriptiira] simplicity, accuracy and power, which distinguish these great writers, give them a claim, next to the word of God and our Book of Common Prayer, to the attention of every Gospel Min- ister ; and particularly fit them for a place in the Libra- ries of such, as, from the nature of their duties, have little time for the acquisition of Theological knowledge. They will furnish you with the principles upon which such acquisition may safely and successfully be prosecu- ted ; tliey will lay at your feet the richest treasures of christian antiquity, and in a compass sufficiently small to meet tiie circumstances of every divine ; they will open before you the still richer treasures of the Gospel of the son of God committed to his Church, in a manner the most impressive and exemplary. And while they thus enable you to understand the word, they will teach you, by their own spirit, how that word is to be received. — how deep and entire the self renunciation needful for those^ wJio icoidd 2)reacliy not tliemselves, hut Christ Jesus tJie Lord.^ III. The next duty to your own submission, is tliaty so far as you can effect it, of the submission to the Gos- pel in the Church, of every member of your congregations. You are to teach and enforce the Scriptural Truth, tliat the PriesVs lips are to Iceep knowledge, and that the people are to receive the laiv at his mouth :j — that, de- ference to his superior wisdom and divine commission, and to the authority of the Church whose Faith, at Holy Baptism, they professed to believe, and vowed to main- tain, should, in searching the Scriptures^ repress tlieir * 2 Cor. iv. 5. ■[ Malachi, ii, 7.— See the Clergyman's companion by Bp. Hobart- 14 pride of opinion, restrain their fond conceits, and put them in the attitude of devout and humble learners in the School of Christ. Brethren, there is a criminal latitude sometimes claim- ed by our parishioners in this matter, under plea of ' lib- erty of conscience/ A liberty which is erroneously^up- posed to £;ive them unlimited scope in selecting for them- selves and families, the sources of knowledge and gui- dance in the way of life. But wliat liberty is that, which gives release from the commandment of God — that we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ ?* AYhat liberty is that, which allows an individual, baptised into the Faith of the Church of Christ, and pledged by solemn promise to walk therein unto his life^send, to place himself in a situa- tion, where the power of that Faith in his mind, may be weakened — perhaps destroyed? Which allows a parent to subject his baptised children to the influence of instruc- tions or books, adverse to the teachings of the Gospel in the Church of God? Alas! what liberty is that, which thus dispenses with divine commands, covenant vows, and infinitely interesting and weighty obligations ! Brethren in Christ! ye are sheplierds of his flock: and if it shall happen that any member thereof do take any hurt or hindrance by reason of your neglect, ye know the greatness of the fault, and the horrible punishment that will ensue. Wherefore consider with yourselves the end of the ministry towards the children of God ; and see that ye never cease your labour, your care and diligence, until ye have done all that lieth in you, according to your bounden duty, to bring all sucii as are, or shall be com- • 1 John, iii. 13— v. 23. 15 milted to your charge^ uiito an agreement in the Faith and knoivledge of God,^^^ Instruct them faithfully in the whole truth, and guard them against everij error. Teach them, that the meekness and docility of childhood alone, can fit them for the kingdom of heaven : " that if any man will do the will of Grod — be ready in his heart to submit to the divine commands — he shall Tcnoio of the doctrine whether it be of God ;'^f shall find his doubt3 vanish, and the light of truth gradually break upon his mind, as he advances in the way of obedience. Show them, that there is but one plan of Salvation — Hiut one mediator between God and man;' J — ^but one Lord,' one Faith, 07?e Baptism;^ — ^ that by one Spirit we are all baptised into one body.'^ Show them, that this is the doctrine of God ; that it has Christ for its corner-stone ; — Apostles for its defenders; — the blood of martyrs for its testimony ; — the Holy Spirit for its life-giving pow- er ; — the submission of the whole multitude of primi- tive saints — of the faithful in all ages, for its trophy. — Enforce then the duty of implicit submission to the di- vine will — to the divine system of pardon, sanctification and Salvation. Enforce it especially upon such, as, from the denominations around you, may ask admission into the Church. Convince them of her claims, by exhibiting her Scriptural character — her divine authority — her pure faith — her heavenly charity. Show them, that God is with the Church ; — that Christ is her glorious head, that by his spirit, his ministers, his word and Sacraments, he edifies her members, and unites them in one holy bond of fellowship. It is thus you are to promote submission, in your flocks, to the Faith once delivered to the Saints 4 • See the form and manner of ordering Priests. f John vii. 17. i 1 Tnn. ii. 5. ^ Ep!i. iv, 5. | 1 Cor. xii. 13. !] Jude, 3. 18 But io enjoy the certain pledge of success, you must be faithful with the young. Take theai in that state, to which our Saviour says, all must be brought to be fit for Lis kingdom — before pride hath made them, in their own esteem, iviser than their teachers — and carry them through all the stages of catechetical and otlier instruction, which the Church contemplates, and in due conformity with her spirit and injunctions, and you may look for their stead- fast continuance in the A]]ostles^ doctrine. But in order to accomplish this, it will be incumbent on you to exer- cise much vigilance, in securing their minds from tlie de- structive influence of mis -named religious books ; I mean that class, designed for children, which are made up of fictitious narrative — detailing marvellous conversions and experiences of early youth, and making Religion consist rather in impulse than in abiding and actuating principle, thus filling the mind with false notions, distracting it with luinecessafy fears, disgusting it with sober truths, and put- ting it upon the pursuit of impossible attainments. But this is not the end of tlic pernicious catalogue. There is another kind of hook still more to be dreaded, as it is less likely to excite suspicion. I mean that kind which professes to take neutral ground — to teach practical Godliness with- out meddling with tlie doctrines of God — to teach Gospel truth, but not tlie vjhole truth of the Gospel; thus keeping out of view what would be likely to wound sectarian pride or offend sectarian bigotry. Brethren beloved, we have not so learned Christ^ — not so vowed to sustain liis kingdom. Our duty is one, undivided and indivisible — to give savirig effect to the whole truth J as it is in Jesus : to send the youthful soldier to his " Eph. iv. 20. 17 conflict with ' the woikl, the flesh and the devil/ clad in the xolioU armour of God.^ And, in the discharge of this duty, we have learned but one fear — the fear of offending GroD ; we dare not lie to the Holy Ghost ^ hij keeping hack part of the truth. Oar's is the duty, and our's the cour- age, to raise boldly aloft our standard — to unfurl the ban* ner of the cross , that every line and mark upon it, may be visible to the eye of those who enquire the way to Zion.'\ Our course then, is plain, in regard to whatever may be thrown before the young members of our flock cal* culated to instil low and partial views, and thus to secure to Christ, only a partial and disjointed service. We must perform a ^lustration' in our parishes — carefully purge from our Parochial and Sunday School Libraries every volume of this insiduous and unfaithful character. But to effect our purpose fully — to bring every thought and feeling into captivity to Christ, another influence is rising in the Church, against which we must as- siduously guard; that of unauthorized instruction. I re- fer not now to those numerous professed teachers around us, who have no commission from Grod, but to those, who^ from our mis-managed or mis-applied Sunday School sys- tem, are springing up among ourselves. God forbid that I should put a word on record, to discourage the unpre- tending, self-denying labours of such, as, in the character of the primitive catechist^X subject at all times to the ministry, have given themselves assiduously to Sunday School instruction. They deserve all encouragement, and all praise. But in reference to a class of teachers,, who, leaving the humble place of the catechist, have mount- ed into the seat of the expounder of Holy writ,Tf permit ♦ Eph. vi. 13. \ Jer. L. 5. ^ See Bingham Antiquities, Book lii. chap. 1 " Well would it be for those v^ho, with rash and unhallowed hands, thus attempt 3 18 me to §ay; tliey are entitled only to your discountenance, and your prayers that they may come to a better mind. Painful as may be the duty, you will find it indispensible, to purity of Faith and scriptural subordination of spirit, to allow them no influence among the young members of your flock. Be advised, tlien, to take your Sunday Schools into your own charge, and, under no circumstan- ces, sufi'er them to go beyond your immediate supervi- sion. Parents look to you — the Church looks to you, for such guardianship. She has laid upon you her sol- emn injunctions ;^ has declared you to be responsible,^t in this matter, to her divine Head. If you would have united and prosperous parishes, affectionate to yourselves, and devoted to your Redeemer — if you would enjoy the blessed satisfaction, to see your sjnritual cliildren ivalking in the truth, and to meet them joyful and happy at the judgment of the great day; never lose sight of your duty to the lambs of the flock of Christ — the duty of thorough fersonal catechetical instruction .{ to fashion the venerable fabric of Christian doctrine, to suit their perverted ta&tes, to remember one, and assuredly one of the most importnnt of its doctrines for the direc- tion and formation of our faith, that tlie one grand requisite for a Christian believer is. a patient teachableness, aud a throwing down of the strong holds of personal vanity and self-confxdence. Well, if they remember the words of him, who spake as never man spake, and, in simple words, poured forih the treasures of eternal wisdom, that except we become as little children, we shall in no wit^e, inherit the kingdom of hea- ven, we shall neither attain a true knowledge of it here, nor a participation of its glo* ries hereafter,'' — Rose\ Discourses on Gn^man Protestanism. * See the Kubrick after the Catechism, -j- See form and manner of ordering Priests. % *' In truth," says Bishop Hall, " the most useful of all preaching is catechetical.^* "I have spent," he adds, "the greater half of my life in this station of our holy ser- vice; I thank God, not unpainfuUy nor unprontably ; but there is no one tiling of •which I repent so imich, as not to have bestowed more hours in this exercise of cate- chizing. In regard whereof, I could quarrel with my very sermons, and wish that a great part of them had been exchanged for tins preaching conference^ JEpist. Dedic. to his discourse on the Old lieligion. Dr. Fuller, the well known author of the Church History, expresses himself in hia Mixt Contempt, sect. 49. much to the same purpose. In fact one ean hardly go a- misti, in looking for testimony to the importance of eatechizingy among the old standard -writers of the Church in England, 19 IV. Your aUention is called to a fourth duty de* mauded by the spirit of tiie times ; — -that of jealous "watchfulness over our Book of Common Prayer. Thia^ or what was like it^ haS; iu all ages, proved itself the strongest bulwark of Evangelical Truth.* In our owa day especially, it may be looked upon as our safeguard from multiform and insinuating error — our bond of union in the midst of distracting schism. f They who once cast it off as an encumbrance, have since discovered and con- fessed; perhaps too late, that they cast from them a pro- tecting shield. Brethren, let not the events of the past be lost upon us. When I contemplate the Church, in re- ference to the assurance of our Divine Lord, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,^^J and observe the im- pregnable defence we enjoy, in our venerable Liturgy, I cannot but regard it as a mark of his special favour, and a signal insta^nce of the fulfilment of his gracious promise. Let us hold fast then, the gift thus bcnignantly bestowed. Our's is a day of hurried and inconsiderate change. The very goodness of our cause, and the rapidity of our move- ment in advancing it, unite to enhance our danger. A mis-step now, while under the exulting speed of a suc- cessful course, is both more likely, and more perilous than at any other time. We know not ivJiat the clay may hring forth. ^ It becomes us then, to luatch^ to be sober ^ to be always ready — ready to resist, with all the power that God has given us, every threatened encroachment upon this form of sound and holy words. Men are growing rest- less and impatient under the worship of Almighty God| • Robc'e Diecourseg ou Protestantism in Germany. I For the truth of the above, we need only refer to the present united state of tha Protestant Episcopal Church in this country, in contrast with the dialractod condition of the denominations around us, t Matthew, xvi, 19, Proverbs, xx'.ii, L 20 and we, I feai> from a too great desire to humour the tem- per of the age, are disposed to become lax and hasty in granting what the restless and impatient may demand. — An abridged service follows close in the track of an abridg- ed manner of conducting it. Let us beware, lest the prin- cijple of change being once admitted, we be forced in its application beyond our wills. Our Liturgy is a sacred trust for the generations to come. It is our ark of the co- venant, wherein are deposited the oracles of God's truth. Let us not profanely touch this ark/ lest we jpeinsh from the right ivay.^ But your duty ends not here. Tlie Cliurch exacts of you ^^diligence, by stated catechetical lectures and in- struction, in informing the youth and others of your con- gregations in her Liturgy.'^I This, then, is to consti- tute a regular theme for public discourse. The pure and primitive source whence it comes to us ; its exact agree- ment with the Holy Scriptures ;+ the beauty and force with which it illustrates them; the admirable order in w^hich it brings their truths before the mind, and incul- cates their precepts upon the life; how it humbles the pride of the sinner ;Ty divests him of self-righteousness and strength, and casts him unreservedly upon the merits of a crucified Saviour, and the grace of a quickening and sanctifying spirit; how, at every step, it elevates and ^glo- ries in the Cross of Christ ;' makes ^every knee bow be- fore him, and every tongue confess that he is Lord ;'§ how readily it adapts itself to every want, and every stage * Psalms, ii. 12. ■[- Sec Canon xxiii. of the General Convention. t See on this point, an admirable Tuact, by Rev. Francis H. Cuming. 1[ See Confession in Daily Prayer, — Confession in Communion Service, — Addres* at commencement of the Mutistration of Public BAP-rrsM — Art. ix. CoUectB. See beginning of the Litany — The conclusion of Every Collect. — The Creeds—. Art. xi., 42. For a further view of these doctrines as given in our Liturgy, see Ajiostles' and Nicene creeds — Comin union Service ; and the collects every where. i The continental Reformers, when consulted by the Non-conformists in England, almost univei-sally advised them to confonn ; — alleging that a Scriptural Episcopyt such as was then established in the English Church, ought not to be resisted ; — and expressing a regret, that circumstances beyond their control, had deprived them of thi«, the highest order in the ministry. But in a few years this practice of ordaining 25 (lorn in all our doings. Let us take, then, no step iti the work of Christian Charity, without the sanction of Chris- tian principle. Some picture of suffering is sketched —some pressing exigence is pleaded — our compassion is touched — our sympathies are awakened, and we start forward under the holy impulses of charity, without stop- ping to enquire, in what real charity consists. But such enquiry must be made, and made of the oracles of God, or we shall make but small advances in the work of doing good. " The happiness of the world,'^ says Bishop But- ler in his immortal work, is the concern of Him who is the Lord and Proprietor of it: nor do we know what wo are about, when we endeavour to promote the good of man- kind, in any way but those in which He has directed.'^* Now, the ^ Lord and Proprietor of the world' lias direct- ed in what ivays the good of mankind is to be promoted. Faith in his once crucified and now exalted son, is the master principle, which He has appointed, to rescue man from the miserable thraldom of sin, and the sinful world. f No means, therefore, for promoting the moral good of our race, are, in view of the Gospel, to be accounted lawful^ which contain not this principle of Faith in Christ, To secure the preservation and extension of this Faith^ and the proper exertion of its power upon the hearts of men, a visible Church was established by our Lord, provided with cer- and governing without Bishops, which necessity, as they had just pleaded, had hecn forced upon them, was defended as scriptural, and continued after the supposed neces- sity for it had ceased. * Diss ii. of the nature of virtue. ^^For iJ/a's purpose was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil.' 1. John iii. 8. «This is God's commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son J»- Bus Christ.' 1. John iii. 23, * Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son ©f God.' 1 . John v. 5 . * By Faith we stand-' 2. Cor. i. 24. By Faitk wc wnlk 2 Cov x. 7. By Faith we quench all tli* fitry dart*: of th« wicked. Eph. vi. 1 4 26 tain specified means, and made the insii'iiment^under thegui-. dauce and blessing of the Divine Comforter, in carrying for- wardthe great work of man's restoration to holiness, to hap- piness, and to God. To this view, because it is thewiew of God's word, in promoting the good of mankind, are \yq to restrict and concentrate all our efforts of Christian Phi- lanthropy. Admit, that you can, or suppose you can, better ad- vance some particular charity, by going beyond the means thus divinely authorized, this will afford not the elightest justification of the act. For, wiiile it casts dis- trust, and hence dishonour, upon the appointments of God, it transcends the limits, which he hath set to his own power. God, inanlfest in the jiesh,^ in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead hodily/\ wanted not the might, at his advent upon earth, to root out every error, close every avenue to misery, destroy every work of the devil, J and make every sinner happy and good; but He exerted it alone, in establishing and giving effect to that system of means, which he hath enjoined upon us. God the Holy Ghost, commissioned to convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment,^ though, by a single impulse of his Almighty energy. He might disperse the darkness of every mind, send conviction of sin into every breast, quicken every soul to newness of lifef and fit every condemned sinner for a judgment day, still employs not that energy, except, in giving efficacy to the ^ means of grace' deposited in the Church of the Redeem- er. Brethren in Christ, how deep is the presumption of mortal man \ a presumption, lamentably common in cur * 1 Tim, iii. lo, j Uol. ii. 9. ? iJolin, iii. 8. ^John,xn. a. 27 day, which overleaps every barrier to attain an object — ^ makes the end jiistifiy the means ^ — looks to jjvesent ad- vantages without estimating future and e^e?*naZ results — rashly enters upon the works of charity without recurring to the divine principles upon whicli alone, these works can be lawfully prosecuted. God will punish that pre- sumption. He will blast its fruits, and scatter them to the winds! Already has he lifted up the chastising hand. Widely are the elements of destruction seen to be at work in the unscriptural schemes of doing good. The axe is even now laid unto the root of the trees. Decay has en* tered them — their topmost branches are withered — they will soon be in ruins before us. Take warning, Rrethren, lest you be entangled in their fall. Our only security is in close adherence to the truth as it is in Jesus. By the light of the Grospel of love, then, examine well the jjrijici- ple before you adopt the measure. Thus, beloved bretliren, I have endeavored, so far as God hath given me ability, to point out the duties, whicli, to preserve the Faith of the Church, seem to me especial- ly called for by the present state of Religion in our coun- try. I am aware that other considerations might have been profitably embraced. There is hardly a point of Christian practice, which is not more or less involved in tliis question. The sacraments, ordinances and discipline of the Church, arc all nearly concerned in the preserva- tion of a pure, apostolick Faith. The views entertained of them, the fidelity with which they are urged, and the consequent practice under those views, suggest topics of the deepest interest to this discussion. But as the prin- ciple of duty is one in all these matters, and as sufficient- has been said to illustrate that principle, and supply you 28 with hints for its universal application^ Heave the subject with yourselves ; entertaining the belief^ that you will not be found wanting in the duties I have enforced. But in their discharge, let me exhort you to be governed by the spirit of that Gospel you are commissioned to preach and defend. Brethren, the most formidable enemy to the truth, is the of the human heart. We are not exempt. ^Sub- ject to U7ce passions iv'ith other men/ we are liable to be swayed by tliis passion also. And it is one upon which the grand adversary of truth chicfl}^ relies. It must be diligently resisted, or it will soon lead us to forget whose ministers we are ; what vows of submission we have made and ^ what manner of spirit Ave are of f\ to forget * Since printing my rcmrurks on the Uth page, the subjoined striking passage has come under my notice. I give it here, whore alkision is made to the same subject : 'When we observe how much there is of impatient submission to authority, how much desire there is in individuals to quit their own sphere, to suggest and pursue their own phms for the confirniation or advancement of the Christian cause, to become the advocates of General Christianity, and to testify an indit!'erence to forms of be- lief, and of worship, we cannot but believe, that in those individuals, there must be a strange ignorance of what is required of them by the Church to which they belong. In a deep feeling of the evi!s caused by such proceedings, we cannot bnt earnestly beseech those who arc about to become public teachers in our Church, not to over- look this essential branch of a cleiical education, but to study deeply her constitution, and what is the real situation of the Minister of the Episcopal Church, and what are his duties, before they undertake them. True, indeed, it is, that the Christian spirit may exist, indcj)cndently of all this. True it is, that at the farthest verge of the earth, and remote from every form of every Church, the spirit of Christian liope, love, and joy, may glow in the boi-;om of ihe Christian. But ihat neither diminishes the neces- fiity for forms of Christianity in the world, nor Ies.«ens their obligation when received. Their necessity and their expediency, we need not, and we will not consider here ; but this much cannot be denied, that he who has become the minister of a form, which prefesses to be the a})Os.tolic;il, has both set to the solemn record of his belief, that that claim can be justified, and hws assumed every obligation which such a pro' fessioii implies. Before b.e does so, he mn}^ if he pleases, become the minister of an- other form, or the minister of Christianity under no form ; but when he has done so, he has declared, that in his belief, the one only true and effectual way of carrying on his master's work on earth, h tl'at way on uhich he has entered; and that that form to which. he has declared his adhiCrence, is the form approved by his master himself. He is therefore berome now the minister of a Church, and rs sucii, must pursue the road which that Church dictates. He must no longer think his own thonghrs, or form his own plans; but he must teach what the Church comm.ands, in the sphere which Rhe assigns. He may think that at some time, something is -left in that Church un- done, which should be done, something done, which should be Ml undone— but ha 2t that, 'in meekness, we are to instruct those that oppose themselves are ' to overcome evil with good;'*I[ and ' to forbear one another in love — endeavouring to keep the u- nity of the spirit in the bond of peace. But to watch effectually against the pernicious influ- ence of this passion, you must daily study to be subject to Christ. Let his word be the man of your counsel — his grace the stay of your hearts — his spirit the spring and regulator of your actions. ' Shun not, boldly and unre- servedly to declare the whole counsel of God,'|| but do it, because it is ' the counsel of God.' Do it not as the ad- vocate of a i)arty, but as the accredited ambassador of the Prince of Peace. Do it, under an abiding sense of your own liability to error — without sacrificing tliat char- ity which suffer eth long and is kind — which rejoiceth not in iniquity^ but rejoiceth in the truth.** Do it not to be- come a successful antagonist , but a successful minister^ not to triumph over an adversary, but to subdue, by the help of God, the carnal heart at enmity with Him,-\\ Preach and defend, then, Dear Brethren, 'the Gospel in the Church'fJ because it is the Gospel of (j^on^^m (he Church of Gob. Contend earnestly for the ^ Faith of will know also, that it belongs not to him to remedy the error or supply the deficiency. He will know, that God, under whose especial guidance he believes the Church to be, may indeed permit evil ; but that his good spirit will rectify what is wrong, and sup- ply what is wanting, m the appointed ivay, and at the due season. His one aim will therefore bo to understand fully what the spirit of the Church is — his one aim, to fulfil it; to unite with, not to separate from his brethren; to yield a ready and cheerful obedience to his superiors, not to endeavor to escape from it.' — Jloses^ Discourses. f Luke, ix. 55. + 2 Tim. ii. 25. 1 Rom. xii. 21. § Eph. iv. 3; I Acts, XX. 27. ** 1 Cor. xii. 4-6. ff Rom. vii. 7. See an admirable Sermon with this title, by the Rev. George Washington Doane, now the excellent Bishop of New Jersey. See 2 John — ' Whosoever transgresseth, and abidefh not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God : h^that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, hath both the father and the son.' Also, Tit. iii. 15 — 'Greet them that love us in the Faith.' §^ 1 Tim. iii. 15—' Know how thou oughtest to behave in the house of God, Wi/cA ie (he Church of God^ the pillar and ground of the truth. so tlie Cliurch,^ because it id the Faith which He has com- mitted to her, for the salvation of condemned and perish- ing sinners.* Hold fast that Faith, at every sacrifice and every hazard, because by its life-giving power, you are to save yourselves, as well as those who hear you : because by losing it, you lose ^ the crown of righteousness, which God the righteous Judge will give in that day' — awful, trying day to ministers and people! — to those and those onlyy who are faithful unto death!' — • Jnde 9 — 'Faith which was once delivered to tho Saints,' or Church. — 2 Tim. h J 3 — *Hold fast the form of sound words.' — ii. 2 — ♦ The same commit thou to faithful iDtn, who shall be able to teach othcr» also.* 1^ ir A':