^ PRINCETON, N. J. Presented by Mr. William A. Wheelock of New York City. BX 5A55 .W5 v. 11 Whately, Richard, 1787-1863 Works . . . I i i I -S i I j \ I 1 1 i PROTECTIVE MEASURES IN BEHALF OF THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH, CONSIDERED IN A CHARGE, TO THE DIOCESES OF DUBLIN. GLANDALAGH, AND KILDAEE, Delivered August, 1851. RICHARD WHATELY, D.D. ARCHBISBOP OFDVBLIN. LONDON: JOHN W. PARKER AND SON, WEST STRAND. DUBLIN: HODGES AND SMITH, GRAFTON STREET. MDCCCU. LONDON: • SAVILt, AND EDWARDS, PRINTERS, i, CHANDOS STREET. CONTENTS. PAGE Importance of keeping distinct, Political and Religious Questions 1 Assumption of Ecclesiastical Titles by Roman-Catholic Functionaries 2 Effectual Protection against Danger to Religion .... 2 Claims of the Church of Rome, not novel 3 Meaning of the Oath of Abjuration 6 Objections to the passing, and to the rejection of the Ecclesiastical-Titles Bill 8 Importance of not violating the Act of Union . . . . 10 Supposed Protection to Christianity by the Declaration on the true faith of a Christian 15 Imputation of Indifference to Christianity 19 Opinions on Convocation, or other Government of the Church 23 Obstacles to the introduction of a Church-Government . . 28 Claims of the Gospel-Propagation-Society 31 Appendix. (A) 33 (B) 40 (C) 45 (D) 50 Digitized by tlie Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/details/protectivemeasurOOwhat I LEGISLATION IN BEHALF OF THE CHURCH. TN calling your attention, my Reverend Brethren, as I now propose to do, to some transactions and discussions that have taken place in Parliament and elsewhere, since we last met, I shall of course con- fine myself as much as possible to the religious rather than the political aspect of each subject. It has indeed always been my own practice, as you are well aware, to take little or no part in questions of a purely political character; and to keep aloof entirely from all political parties. But there are many questions that irr^portance of are partly of a political and partly of a keeping dis- T . 1 , AT- 1 i • tinci, political rehgious character. Andmadvertmg andrdijious to any of these, it is important, in all questions. cases, to guard against confusedly blending together the two views, — the political and the religious — that may be taken of each subject; and to avoid, on such an occasion as the present, any full discus- sion of the former. 2 LEGISLATION IN BEHALF Assumption of This caution is peculiarly requisite ecclesiastical {^i reference to the subject which has titles by Ito- , ^ n ^ it man-Catholic 1^*6 OCCUpicd SO mucll 01 tllC pUUilC functionaries, attention, the legislation which has taken place relative to the appointment of Roman Catholic Bishopricks. Whatever encroachments may have been at- tempted on the rights or the dignity of the Sove- reign, and whatever legislative measures may have been necessary for the maintenance of those rights and of that dignity, it should always be carefully borne in mind that each man's religious persuasion must be defended — and can only be defended — by himself. As his Faith cannot be wrested from hun against his will, by the act of another, so, neither can it be maintained in its purity by legal Effectual pro- . , tection against enactments. Agamst rehgious dangers, danger to rcli- People must be taught, and trained, ^^'^ and sedulously warned, to defend them- selves, instead of relying on anything that Govern- ment can do for them.^ To those who are not ' Being desirous of ascertaining how far, in relation to one point, our Protestant Church had been affected, by the existence, or by the removal, of fenal laws and civil disabilities, I have ob- tained returns of the numbers of new churches and other places of worship under the Establishment which had been opened during the last century, and during tlie first half of the ])resent. It appears that (besides sonic cases of rebuilding) there were hat jive new churclics erected in the diocese of Dublin during the whole of the eighteenth century, great as was the increase of population. In the present c(xA,\xxy,forly-seven new churches have been opened; OF THE CHURCH. 3 themselves earnest and vigilant, as no divine aid is promised, so, no human aid can be availing. In reference to the reUgious portion of the question, there is no need that I should say much at present. My sentiments have long been well- known, on the subject of the claim of the Church of Eome, — or of any Church^ — to supreme domi- nion over all Christians. And you are also well aware, that, strong as are my own convictions on this and on several other points, I have always been opposed to the enforcement of them on others by secular means ; — to the infliction of civil penal- ties or disabilities on those Avhom I believe to be in error.^ It is important, however, to remem- , , Claims of ber — what some persons seem, very the Church strangely, to have almost forgotten, — of Rome, that those claims of the Church of Rome " ^'^^'^ ' which have been adverted to are nothing new, but have existed for many Ages, and are, in fact, an essential part of that system against which our besides twelve licensed places of worship for the accommodation of the remoter parts of populous parishes; making a total of fifty-nine. And this increase has been going on in a continually- accelerated ratio. The number of the clergy increased, during the same interval, from 115 to 206. • Note (A), Appendix. 2 I took occasion, in this place, to refer my hearers to the little Tracts entitled Cautions for the Times, drawn up with some assistance from me, and under my supervision; as containing a fuller exposition of several points that arc here briefly touched on. B 2 4 LEGISLATION IN BEHALF ancestors revolted and protested, at the Reforma- tion. Of this no one can be really ignorant ; and yet some seem to have so fur forgotten it, that they have apparently felt imnder mixed with their indignation — as at some startling novelty — at the language of arrogant assumption employed by the Court of Rome ; as if it were a thing possible, and consistent, to put forth, and act on, the claim to be Christ's Vicegerent on Earth, and supreme spiritual Ruler of the christian World, in terms that would, to us^ appear modest and reasonable!^ The only novelty is, as you are aware, the substi- tution, in England of regular Roman-Catholic Bishops for Vicars- Apostolical, exercising all the episcopal functions, but acting as merely deputies of the Pope, and liable to summary removal at his plea- sure. The style, however, in which this change was ' Some I believe, have remarked that there is a more modest tone, and less of haughty assumption, in the language of the Apostles, who certainly claimed and possessed immediate divine inspiration, than in that of the Court of Rome. But it should be remembered that tliey appealed to the miracles which they — confessedly — wrought, before friends and adversaries. And a style of vehement assertion and imperious and proud pre- tension is the more to be expected from any one in j^roportion as he has the less of decisive proof on which to rest his claims to submission. Still, it is hardly conceivable that any claim to immediate absolute authority from Heaven could be put forth or implied by any one, in terms that would not seem arrogant to those who denied that claim. OF THE CHURCH. announced was such as to require, in the opinion of many persons, some precautionary measure on our part, to guard some of our fellow-subjects against the mistake of supposing that the acts of the Church of Eome have any legal validity in this country. Several intelligent persons with whom I have conversed on the subject were of opinion that this object might have been sufficiently accomplished by a royal Proclamation; or, by simple Resolutions of the Houses of Parliament, declaratory of their imal- terable reverence for the royal prerogative. A Proclamation might, it was urged, have set forth and explained to the People, that all acts done, or titles conferred, by any foreign Power (and not ratified by our Government) are in the eye of the Law, totally null and void, whatever submission or compliance any individual may in his own con- science think himself bound to: and that no one need fear any interference with his religious liberty, except such as he may of his own accord determine to submit to. Such an explanation — it was urged — might be not really (as at first sight it might appear) super- fluous and uncalled for, on such an occasion as the present ; considering the strange misapprehensions that exist in some minds as to several points connected with the subject, and — among others — as to the meaning of the declaration that "no foreign Prelate or Potentate hath or ought to have any power or jurisdiction within this Reahn." 6 LEGISLATION IN BEHALF Meaning of It may Seem Strange that any one | the oath of ah- should need to ha ve it explained to juration. ^^^^^ ^^^^ thing meant is legal power. But some, even Protestants, have been so meonsiderate as to speak of this declaration as manifestly untrue; because, say they, the Pope | notoriously does possess power in this country ; that is, influence over' the minds of those who feel them- selves bound in conscience to obey him : as if the framers of the declaration could have been ignorant of that fact ; and as if the very reason for its being framed had not been — as it evidently was — the knowledge that the Pope had adherents in the ' Country ; which circumstance made it requisite in certain cases to disown his authority; that is, of I course, his lawful authority. And as for any ! precedence, title, or office, granted by the Govern- ment of this Country to any officers appointed by a foreign Prelate, these being of course revocable at pleasure by the Government which grants them, are far from being at all at variance with the above declaration; since, if any one considers such Office, &c., to emanate from a superior Power, superseding that of our Government, he must regard it as what no Government of ours can either confer or take away. In like manner, the words in our Thirty-seventh Article declaring that " The Bishop of Rome hath | no jurisdiction within this Realm," would have been superfluous, had it not been notorious not only that OF THE CHURCH. 7 he claimed supremacy, but also that there were persons who admitted that claun.^ Such a Proclamation then (or Resolutions to the same effect) would, it was urged, have been timely, and also sufficient for every desirable object; and would have obviated the lono; and irritatinf? debates that have taken place ; while the royal Prerogative — since that does not emanate from parliamentary enactment — would have been even more effectually vindicated. 1 " The Emperor of Eussia has no power to return members to our Parliament; but it would be possible for him to employ agents to bribe electors. Joanna Southcote had no jurisdiction &c. in England — and no Eoman-Catholic would have scrupled to say this — but she had followers who thought themselves bound to obey her. A private man has not power of life and death {tlovaiav) over his neighbours, but he has the physical power {liivafiiv) to murder one of them. So, also, the Pretender was abjured, and very rightly : but it is well known that many of his adherents, in their hearts, acknowledged and were ready to obey him. And it would have been a folly to ask a man to swear that he knew the inmost tlutv/jhls of every British subject. " But, in truth, it was precisely because the Pope and the Pre- tender were known to have adherents, and to exercise a control over them, that those oaths were framed, in which the swearer proclaimed his opinion that they had no legal right to obedience, and ought not to be invested with any. The two clauses [' neither hath, nor ought to have'] were aimed specially at two classes of Ptoman-Catholics : one of whom contended that Queen Mary's acts restoring the Pope's supremacy were never legally repealed — for they considered Elizabeth as a bastard, and, besides, solemnly deposed by the Pope ; the other confessed that the Pope had no power by the law of England, but that it ov/jld to he restored to tim." — From a veiy sensible pamphlet on Papal Aggressions, p. 13. 8 LEGISLATION IN BEHALF For, the CroAvn (it was observed) being, by the Constitution, and independently of any new enactment, the "Fountain of Honour," and the royal Prerogative being evidently — no less than the rights of Parliament — a part of that Constitution, which assigns to each branch of the Legislature its OAvn proper functions, it is important to guard against even the appearance of any interference of one branch with the rights of another. ^, . . As for the course actually adopted, I Objections to . the passing, skw such Strong objections both to the and to the passiuq of the Bill as it stood, and to the rejection o/ . , . the Ecclesi- rejection of it by the House of Lords, and ^■/T"^'^"'^^^ again, to the attempt to introduce into it, at that stage, any alterations^ that I could not bring myself to be a party to either course ; and accordingly I abstained from voting at all. If however, as is expected by many, and wished apparently by many more, the law now enacted shall never be actually enforced, but remain a dead letter, it wiU, in that case, be nearly equivalent to such a Proclamation or Resolution, as I have been alluding to ; though at the expense of a far greater loss of valuable time, and with more risk of generat- ing animosity and discontent, and of diminishing men's reverence for the laws. When, however, I speak of objections to the passing of the Bill, I do not mean that its provisions are what I could reasonably deprecate, if such a law had been enacted in reference to those of my OF THE CHURCH. 9 own Communion. If, for instance, I were an American or Scotch Episcopalian, and it were for- bidden by law that any one should be styled Bishop of Philadelphia, or of Vermont, of Glasgow, or of Edinburgh, &c. ; or Rector or Curate of such and such a Parish, and we were required to designate ourselves as Bishop or as Pastor " of the Protestant Episcopalians" of each District, I do not see that we should be justified in calling this a persecution or an insult. For, after aU, it is not the territory^ but the People^ that are placed under our superinten- dence. Over those of our own Communion, our Church gives us a certain degree of authority. And as for those of any other religious persuasion, we are bound, — generally indeed to the whole Human Race, — but more especially to our own parishioners and our other neighbours, to endeavour to aid in imparting to them whatever benefits we can, and especially whatever useful instruction (be it much or little) they will consent to receive. But in all cases, it is with the persons inhabiting a certain district, not with the district itself considered as a portion of the Earth's surface, that we as christian Ministers are connected. ^ ' Those who speak of a Bishop or other Minister possessing, by virtue of apostolical succession, inherent and exclusive right over all Christians within his Diocese or Parish, seem to forget that, on this principle, the Protestant inhabitants of any Diocese and Parish on the Continent, over which a Eoman-catholic Bishop and Rector have been duly appointed, would be left to the 10 LEGISLATION IN BEHALF But groundless alarms and fancied aiFronts will often produce real and great uneasiness and dis- turbance; such as one would gladly avoid, when there is no important object to be gained on the other side. And the danger was so manifest, of agitators in this country taking advantage of the present occasion to excite apprehensions and dis- contents, (though such attempts have, I believe, hitherto, at least — though aided by the injudicious language of some well-intentioned but inconsiderate protestants — ^been happily unsuccessful) that it was proposed, as you are aware, by several persons, to exclude Ireland from the provisions of the Act. Importance This virtual separation of the Irish ofnotvioiaUng ^f the United Church from the the Act of Union. English, in violation of a most solemn compact in the Act of Union, I have heard defended as a sacrifice of " theory" to " political expediency." It is by suggestions of this kind that the very word " expediency" has come to be, itself, odious to many persons ; as having been associated, in their minds, with the idea of some violation of duty. But I have always deprecated such an applica- tion of the term. Besides that, in the highest sense, nothing can be really and ultimately expedient that is at variance with the principles of rectitude. I do not believe that even mere worldly expediency alternative of either conforming to what they are convinced is an erroneous religion, or else being left without any Pastor at all, and without the possibility of obtaining any. OF THE CHURCH. 11 is ultimately promoted by departure from the strict rules of justice.^ In the present case, most assuredly, nothing could have been more ^expedient than the proposed abandonment of (what was called " Theory," i. e.) principle. The advocates of it probably imagined that if any Act were passed extending to England alone, Ireland would i^emain in the same situation as before the passing of it. But any one may perceive, on a very little reflection, that this could not have been the case. If there are two roads from a certain spot, and a notice be posted upon one of them, warning all persons that it is private, and that they will be guilty of a trespass if they pass along this road, you could not doubt that every one would conclude the other road to be a pubhc tho- roughfare. In like manner, a prohibition by law of any thing whatever, in one part of the empire, ' The reader is cautioned to keep in mind the distinction— often, in this case, overlooked — between two totally distinct questions: — (1) Whether any such legislation as has taken place was desirable ; (2) whether, in the course adopted, whatever it might be, England and Ireland should be kept together, or separated. On the former of these questions, the Address to the Queen from the Irish Prelates pronounces nothing decisive. It is with the latter of the two that it is occupied. In the Appendix (B) are subjoined this Address, together with that to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and his Grace's answer. And to these is added an extract from the Irish Ecclesiastical Journal, containing a statement of some facts which are too little known. 12 LEGISLATION IN BEHALF excluding another part, is sure to be understood as eqviivalent to a sanction of it in the latter. It would have been understood, therefore, that what had been done in reference to Galway had been deliberately sanctioned by the legislature, and might be allowably repeated to any extent in Ireland. It would have been understood, in short, that one portion of the royal prerogative had required^ and received, parliamentary confirmation in Eng- land, and was abandoned in Ireland: abandoned, not on any grounds of justice or of kindness, but of fear; thus holding out an encouragement to inde- finite encroachments. And, moreover, a virtual violation of one of the Articles of the Act of Union, while that Act remains unrepealed, would have placed us in a most un- favourable position in reference to those who agitate for a repeal of the Union altogether. For, a repeal of any law, in a regular way, however unwise and mischievous, cannot be called illegal ; and the advo- cates of such repeal could not well have been censured by those who should have violated its pro- visions indirectly, and as it were by a side-wind, while the law remained unrepealed. And it would have been in vain to allege that the whole question related to a matter of subordinate importance, — a mere point of detail ;^ since, however true this may ' Such as the uniting of certain dioceses,— those of Bristol and Gloucester, for instance, in England, and several in Ireland, OF THE CHUECH. 13 be, (and I do not undertake to disprove it) it is certain the English Public thought quite otherwise. Supposing that it was really a matter of small conse- quence that for so many months agitated the Nation and the Parliament, they at least deemed it one of vital unportance. And what, after all, would have been the concilia- tion effected by such a compromise as was proposed? One cannot doubt that those it was designed to conciliate would have said — either openly or secretly — " if this measure is no hardship — no oppression or insult to any one, — and is only what is requisite for the reasonable protection of Protestants, why do you not extend this protection to two millions of them in Ireland ? But if it is a hardship and an un- called-for procedure, why do you inflict that hard- ship on two millions of Roman-catholics in England, except it is that these are not yet powerful enough to overawe you ? For it has not been shown that there is any difference (as far as regards the present question) between the Roman-cathohcs of Ireland and those of England, except in numbers ; or that this numerical difference furnishes any argument except those addressed to fear. You seem there- fore to be proclaiming, in each country, that you are influenced by no sentiments of justice, or generosity, or kindness, or humanity, towards either party; but that you will yield any thing to fear, and nothing to any other consideration. While, therefore, we hate you for what you with- 14 LEGISLATION IN BEUALF hold, we no less despise you for Avhat you con- cede:'^ Such, I cannot doubt, would have been the first (though not the last) deplorable consequence of being diverted from the straight path, by the temptation of an apparent, but unreal and delusive, expediency. While, therefore, I am unable to profess myself well satisfied with the course that has actually been adopted, I can most heartily congratulate you on the rejection (by the almost unanimous decision of the legislature) of one which would have been in- comparably more dangerous, besides being what, to me and to very many others, appears no less than dishonourable.^ ' I should not have expressed myself so strongly (though I should have felt the same) if the proposed course had been actually adojjted by Parliament. For when a law is actually passed, and there is no reasonable hope of its repeal, we should be very cautious in publicly uttering predictions of dangers and dis- contents, lest we should thus become the means of engendering or aggravating them. 2 It is my belief that the proposal in question was advocated by many who had no thought of doing anything that was dis- honourable, or that tended to impair the Union. And I am led to think, by the different tone that prevailed, at first and sub- sequently, that the greater part of them afterwards perceived, on further reflection, the real tendency and probable effects of such a measure, and thereupon abandoned the idea. They perceived probably that such a procedure would have been not unreasonably attributed to fear, even if that motive had not been — as it was — openly avowed and strongly dwelt on. OF THE CHURCH. 15 On the Bill which was brought in (after passing the House of Commons^) protection to for the modification of the oath required ^^"'^jf ^^^^^f of Members of Parliament, I need say ration, on the but very little; as my opmions on true faith of a that subject have long been before you, and before the public. And accordingly it would perhaps have been hardly necessary on that occasion, to speak at aU in the House, but for the prevailing misapprehensions on the subject; which were unfortunately favoured by the form and title of the Bill introduced. I felt myself called on, therefore, to state my objection to that Bill, although I voted for it as being a step in the right direction, and far less objectionable than the law as it now stands. But the grounds on which I gave that vote being quite different from that of several other persons who advocated the same conclusion, it be- came necessary to explain briefly what those grounds were.^ My object is, as you are doubtless weU aware. ' One of the curious circumstances connected with the present anomalous state of things on this point, is to find the House of Lords insisting on deciding who shall or shall not be allowed — after being duly elected — to take his seat in tlie oilier House; and repeatedly rejecting (though by diminishing majorities) the decision of the Commons on that (juestion. For the same reason, the Bishop of Norwich, who took a similar view, spoke to the same effect. IG LEGISLATION IN BEHALF not the relief or benefit of Jews as such, but the removal of all religious tests connected with civil office. Such tests, which are regarded by some as a safeguard and an honour to Christianity, are, in my view, detrimental and dishonourable to it. What I have always aimed at, is, not that Jews, — either many or few, — should sit in Parliament, but that electors — Christian electors — should not be im- peded in their choice of the person they may fix on to represent them, where no detriment to the public can he proved to arise from leaving them thus at liberty. And accordingly I have always maintained, that if any one who had advocated the removal of tests which exclude Jews, or Roman-catholics, should afterwards, as an elector, think fit to give a pre- ference to christian candidates, or to protestant candidates, he would be guilty of no inconsistency. He would be only making a legitimate use of that right of free choice which he was willing to impart to his neighbours. But the removal of unnecessary restrictions on liberty — strongly as I am opposed to them — ^is far from being the principal object I have in view. Far more anxious am I for the removal of what I regard as a discredit to Christianity, and a depar- ture from the principles of its divine Author: of Him who declared that his " kingdom is not of this world," and who charged men to " render to Caesar" (the idolatrous Roman emperor) " the things that OF THE CHURCH. 17 are Cassar's, and to God, the things that are God's."! And his Apostles, in all their preaching, and in all their conduct, explained and confirmed his doctrine. Can any one imagine to himself those Apostles secretly enjoining, or permitting, their disciples to enact, whenever they should become sufficiently powerful,^ laws to exclude the emperor from his throne, and the magistrate from his bench, and the senator from his seat, unless they would make a declaration " on the true faith of a Chris- tian ?" If I could believe them to have entertained ' Our Lord and his Apostles, however, while inculcating the right of a civil governor to obedience from his subjects, as indi- viduals, and in their secular concerns, had certainly no thought of committing the office of governing in spiritual matters the J ewish, or any christian Church, as such, to any one not a member of the same. The case of the sovereign, therefore, (in this country) is a peculiar one ; as the " Headship of the Cliurch" is annexed to the civil office. What is the precise character and whole extent of this Head- ship— and whether it would be possible and desirable so to explain and so to modify it, as to do away with the necessity of imposing a religious test on the sovereign, — these are questions which need much reflection and inquiry, and which could not be suitably discussed on this occasion. It is worth remarking, however, that some seem to imagine it a necessary and fundamental law of the Constitution that the sovereign should be a member of the Estahlislied Church; for- getting that there are in Britain two established Churches ; and also that the restriction relating to Protestantism was introduced, under very peculiar circumstances, only about a century and a half ago. ^ See Essays on the Kingdom of Christ, Essay I. § 71. C 18 LEGISLATION IN BEHALF a secret design (evidently none such was, or could be, avowed) to convert hereafter Christ's Kingdom into one of this world by fortifying it with secular penalties or disabilities inflicted on all who would not profess their foith, I could not regard them (considering all that they said and did) as other than base dissemblers. To my mind, therefore, the whole question of the truth or falsity of the Gospel is involved in the decision of the point now before us. And this is a matter of far more importance than the freedom of elections. If any sufficient reasons could be offered for thmking these views erroneous, I trust (as I de- clared in my place in the House) that I should not be withheld from changing them by any dread of the imputation of what is commonly — though most erroneously — called inconsistency.^ But I am con- firmed in my opinion by finding the arguments on ' "A charge of inconsistency, as it is oue of the most dis- paraging, is also one that is perhaps the most frequently urged with effect, on insufficient grounds. Strictly speaking, inconsis- tency (such at least as a wise and good man is exempt from) is the maintaining at the same time of two contradictory proposi- tions; whether expressed in language, or implied in sentiments or conduct. As e. g. if an author, in an a/rgumentative work, while he represents every syllogism as futile and fallacious reasoning, admits that all reasoning may be exhibited in the form of syllo- gisms; or, if the same person who censures and abhors oppression, yet practises it towards others; or if a man prescribes two medi- cines which neutralize each other's effects, &c. " But a man is often censured as inconsistent, if he changes his plans or his opinions on any point. And certainly if he does this OP THE CHUECH. 19 which it is based, — arguments publicly and repeat- edly urged, many years ago, — entirely unanswered. Not even any attempt at refutation has ever, as far as I know, appeared, up to this day. The argu- ments and the declamations on the opposite side are still brought forward again and again, without any notice at all of the replies that have been given to them.^ For instance, it is continually urged, that, to allow a Jew to be eligible to -^"f^f^^*'"" . . . indifference to Parliament would imply indifference to Christianity. Christianity: does it then — it was replied — argue indifference to Protestantism., to remove disabilities from Roman-catholics ? or indif- ference to our own Church, to aUow dissenters to be eligible? If a christian Country is bound, as such, jealously to exclude Jews, is not a Protestant Country equally bound to exclude Roman-catholics, and an Episcopalian Country, Presbyterians ?^ This is, I admit, only a personal argument, not applicable to those (now but a small number) who are for making conformity to the Established Church often, and lightly, that is good ground for withholding confidence from him. But it woidd be more precise to characterize him as fickle and unsteady, than as inconsistent ; because this use of the term tends to confound one fault with another; viz. with the holding of two incompatible opinions at once." — Elements of Rhet. p. 2, ch. iii., § 5. ' Sec Note (C), Appendix. See Speech on the Jewish Relief Bill, published in the volume of Cha/rges cmd Tracts. c 2 20 LEGISLATION IN BEHALF an essential condition of the enjoyment of civil rights. But the argument is valid as far as it goes ; and ought to put to silence all declamations about indifference to Christianity in those who do not go the whole length of complete and consistent ex- clusiveness. Yet to this and to the other arguments urged, I have never heard of any answer being offered. It would be well if those who regard their advocacy of religious tests and disabilities as a mark of their being most emphatically christian^ and who — some of them — cast reproaches not savouring of christian meekness and charity on those Avho do not agree with them, as showing indifference to Christianity, and a tendency towards Judaism — it were well, I say, if these would reflect on what grounds it was that the chief part of the Je"\vish nation rejected the Messiah. Evidently, it Avas from their expec- tation of a temporal Messiah, who should establish a " Kingdom of this world," supported by secular power, and secular privileges and penalties. And they should next consider, therefore, whe- ther those who seek by such methods to honour and to support Christ's Kingdom, are not them- selves more chargeable with a tendency to corrupt the Gospel by an introduction of Jewish principles. With intentional depravation, however, or dis- regard of Christianity, I would not, myself, charge any of my brethren ; even though they should fail to show the same forbearance towards me. Let each study the christian Scriptures carefully and OF THE CHURCH. 21 candicll}^, and act on the conviction which he de- rives from that guide, without pronouncing harsh judgments on those who may have arrived at a dif- ferent conclusion from his. And remember, my Reverend Brethren, — if ever you are tempted to depart from this rule, by finding that your oppo- nents disregard it, — remember Him who " when He was reviled, reviled not again," and who " left us an example that we should follow his steps." As for the political aspect of the question, though a full discussion of it would be unsuitable to this occasion, I cannot forbear making a remark on one point which has been very generally over- looked. Those who contend for the principle that in a christian Country no share of legislative power should be conceded to a Jew, ought manifestly — if they would be consistent — to follow out their prin- ciple, and not to be content with throwing out the Bill I have been alluding to, but to endeavour to deprive Jews of the elective franchise. An elector, it is true, has a much smaller share of legislative power than a member of Parliament; but this is nothing to the purpose, when the question is one of principle and not of amount. It was admitted on all hands that the number of Jews likely to obtain seats in Parliament would be insignificantly small ; but the indecorum, and the violation of principle, would, it was urged, (and very justly) be the very same, whether they were many or few, — of great or of small influence. Now the principle in question 22 LEGISLATION IN BEHALF is even more completely violated (and this is the point which has been the most generally over- looked) by the law as it now stands, than by the proposed Bill. For the elective f ranchise is actually enjoyed by the Jew, independently of any per- mission from another party ; while a seat in Parlia- ment is not conferred by the Bill. That Bill only went to enable him to take his seat if duly elected by the constituents. It conferred no legislative power; only enabled them to confer it if they thought fit. It is evident, therefore, that the prin- ciple alluded to is already much more directly violated by the existing law than it would have been by that Bill.^ I have always however (as most of you must be well aware^) objected strongly to the anomaly of a christian Church being governed altogether as ours now is, by a Body which does not consist exclusively of members of that Church. And as on this subject also, my views have been long since^ very fully laid before the Public, I had no need to say more, in the Debate that lately took place on the subject, than a ' Another curious anomaly in the present state of the law is, that a Jew is allowed to act as a Magistrate; and that accordingly it happened very lately that a Jewish Justice of the Peace (who ia also a member of Parliament, but was precluded from taking his seat) was applied to for a licence, which he granted, as he was empowered to do, for a dissenting chapel. * See Speech on the Jewish-Kelief Bill, and also on the Kildare " Petition for Church Government," in the volume of Charges and Tracts. 3 See Appendix, Note (D). OF THE CHUECH. 23 very few words expressing my adherence to those views. It was a very striking, and a very Opinions on interesting circumstance in that Debate Convocation ° or other Go- to observe how very large a number of vernment of influential persons had adopted, more or ^^'^ Church. less, certam views respectmg the present condition, and the requirements, of our Church. I will not call them, my views, because I know not how far, or whether at all, they had been derived from me : but they certainly were views which I had long since advocated in the House, year after year, when I stood almost alone ; when I could hardly obtain a hearing for the statement of those views ; when they were supported by hardly any one, — opposed by some, — and, by most, deemed, apparently, not worth opposing. Yet on this last occasion they were earnestly and eloquently discussed by several ; and by aU considered worthy of very serious attention. As for the arguments employed on both sides, I need not detain you by recounting or commentmg on them, because hardly any of much importance were brought foi*ward except what must be ah'eady familiar to those of you who take an interest in the subject. It is one which, as you will recollect, I have repeatedly and fully discussed, both in a Charge dehvered a few years since, ^ and in several other Works. ' See Note (D,) Appendix, and also the Speecli above referred to. 24 LEGISLATION IN BEUALF It may be needful however to point your atten- tion to the circumstance that those of the speakers who advocated, and those who opposed, the sum- moning of Convocation for actual business, were completely agreed in thinking that Body — as now by law constituted — utterly unfit to be a permanent government for the Church. Nor did any one advocate, — and most, I think distinctly protested against, — any government of the Church by the Clergy^ exclusively of the Laity. But Convocation — it was urged by some — ought to be summoned for the purpose of handing over its powers to some dilFerently-constituted Body; in the same manner as the Reform-Bill, which materially altered the constitution of Parliament, was passed, and could only have been passed, by the then-existing un- reformed Parliament. Wliether these views be sound or not, it is no more than fair, and it is also highly important that they should at least be not misapprehended. As for the objection which was urged, that differences of opinion, and contests, and perhaps stormy debates, would be likely to arise, in any assembly of men, — whether called Councillors, Commissioners, Delegates, or by whatever other name — met to inquire into and to decide on, impor- tant and interesting matters, and that this might be expected, equally, whether they sat as a permanent governing Body, or as a temporary Commission to be finally dissolved when it should have gone OF THE CHURCH. 25 through a certain definite task, all this was fully admitted. But it was remarked, in reply, that still greater, and more widely spread, and far more unsatisfactory contests, and more incurable discon- tents take place, and are sure to take place, in the absence of a government ; when there is no recognised and legitimate channel open for suggestions, for complaints, for arguments, and statements, and proposals. It might, indeed, have perhaps seemed antece- dently probable, that peace and satisfaction, at least within the Church, might have been secured, though at a great sacrifice, by the withdrawal from its Communion from time to time, not only of those radically opposed to its doctrine and worship, but of many others also who might have been retained in it without any compromise of principle. Expe- rience, however, shows that even at this cost internal peace and satisfaction are not to be purchased ; — that the health and ease of the remaining portion of the body cannot be obtained even by the successive amputation of limbs. In the Houses of Parliament, (it was urged) violent and sometimes factious contests undoubtedly occur, and instances of unwise legislation may be found. But would any one venture on these grounds to propose the discontinuance of ParHaments? Would any one say, " We are satisfied with the ex- isting laws, and want no changes ; ' Nolumus leges ANGLiiE MUTARi:' wc would fain avoid all the 26 LEGISLATION IN BEHALF wanton legislation, and all the strife of words, and party-spirit wliich a Parliament never fails to call forth; let us dispense with it altogether?" This experiment we know was actually tried, on grounds which doubtless appeared plausible at the time, by the unhappy Charles the First : and we all know the result. Then, as for the apprehended predominance, in any regularly-constituted Assembly, of the. mis- judging, and violent and factious, it was maintained, in reply, that such men are incomparably more influential, and their numbers and power more apt to be over-rated, in the absence of any regular government. And an instance was adduced, which I believe might serve as a specimen of thousands of others, in which a factious clamour was raised in a certain parish against some proposed measure; such, that even several of those favourably disposed to the measure were almost overawed by what they had been led to believe was the voice of " The Parishioners." But when the expedient was resorted to, of collecting the votes, it was found that those who had been representing themselvesas " The Parish" were, to those opposed to them, less than one to ten! It was urged, again, that, very recently, some Australian Bishops had held a kind of Conference or Synod, at which certain Resolutions, on several points, had been passed, and which had called forth loud complaints from many lay-members of our OF THE CHURCH. 27 Church in those parts : and this was considered as indicating that any kind of Assembly convened by competent authority to deliberate on any ecclesi- astical matters would be most distasteful to the lay- members of our Church, and would be productive of dissension. But it seems most probable that that Meeting had been suspected, — not unnaturally — of a design (which however I am far from, myself, attributing to those Bishops) to claim for those Resolutions — what they certainly had no right to claim — some binding authority, as emanating from a Body— beyond what each bishop already possessed in his own diocese; and that such a (supposed) assump- tion of power was the chief thing that called forth expressions of indignation and of alarm. If, — as was observed in the Debate — some ten or twenty Members of either House of Parliament should think proper to meet in an assembly consti- tuted by their own authority, and to lead or leave men to believe that they regarded themselves as a legislative Body whose decisions were to be binding on all, then, however wise in themselves these deci- sions might be, no one can doubt that such a usurpation would excite resentment and opposition. But if any one should infer from that resent- ment that the meeting of a Parliament regularly summoned by the Sovereign must be productive of dissension, and that the whole institution of Parlia- ments had better be abolished, most men would 28 LEGISLATION IN BEHALF perceive that the very opposite conclusion would be the more reasonable. Before I dismiss this subject, I wish Obstacles to the introduction of to caU your attention to two very im- a Church-Go- portant, — perhaps the most important vernment. , , — obstacles^ to the mtroduction of any remedy for the present anomalous condition of our Church : leaving to your own discretion to deal with those obstacles, on each occasion that may arise, according to the best of your discretion. (1.) One is, the expectation, or suspicion, that any Assembly, Council, Convocation, or whatever else it might be called, that should be convened for the regulation of the affairs of our Church, might claim for itself inspiration^ and consequent infalli- bility. We know that Councils have before now, ad- vanced such a claim ;^ and have rashly — not to say profanely — applied to themselves the words (of which moreover they manifestly mistook the real meaning) of the decree of that early Council held at Jerusalem, " It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us."^ And the slightest hint, — or even the absence of a disavowal — of any such claim, would be sufficient ' I know that on a late occasion that claim, on behalf of a Convocation, was understood to be maintained by a speaker who, 1 verily believe, had not really any such intention. 2 In the case of Cornelius and his Uousehold (to which Peter had just been directing their attention) the Holy Spirit had given OF THE CHUKCH. 29 to excite such alarm and disgust as would raise up an effectual barrier against the summonmg of any such Council. (2.) The other obstacle to which I would advert is, the notion of the Universal [Cathohc] Church being one Community on Earthy to which all Chris- tians are bound to pay submission ; its governors, and their enactments, claiming obedience from all Christ's followers. If there be any such one Community on Earth, it is manifest that no branch of it, — no individual members of it, whether few or many — can have any right, without its express permission^ to assemble for the purpose of deciding — or even deliberating on — either Articles of faith, or regulations as to Church-discipline and pubhc Worship, or anything whatever that at all concerns any portion of the Church of Christ. And how can we obtain, or even apply for, any such permission? since we do not acknowledge any Vicegerent on earth of Him whom we believe to be the sole Head of the Catholic Church. Any meeting of persons who are subjects of the British Empire, in any city or county of it, called together without the sanction of the Imperial Legis- a plain decision that tlwse individtuds might be admitted into the christian Church without conforming to the Law of Moses (see Acts, x. 47). And the Council, by an obvious inference from that case, decided that the same rule would apply to all Gentile converts. 30 LEGISLATION IN BEHALF latnre, who should pretend to enact laws binding on the inhabitants of that district, would be justly- regarded as no better than rebels, however good in themselves their enactments might be. The bye-laws of any Corporation must be made with the permission of the central Government; else there would be a most mischievous and dangerous imperium in imperio ; in fact, a complete revolt from the Authority we are bound to obey. And if some self-constituted Assembly in this Country should profess to be " called together in the name of the Sovereign,''^ the use of this language by persons who could not produce a royal licence duly signed, would be considered as rather aggravating their offence. As long, therefore, and as far as this notion shall exist in men's minds of a Universal Church as one Comynunity on Earthy possessing — as every such Community must — a supreme central Govern- ment on Earth, to which all Christians owe submis- sion, so long, and so far, our own Anglican Church (which expressly disclaims being itself that Church)' must have an insuperable obstacle placed in the way of any Government for itself. And it should be remembered also that this notion strikes at the root of aU past as well as ' " And in these our doings we condemn no other nations, nor prescribe anything but to our own People only ; for we think it convenient that every Country should use such ceremonies as they shall think best, &c." — Preface to Prayer-hook. See also Art. 34. OF THE CHURCH. 31 future Government of our own or of any other Church. It leads inevitably to the conclusion that all decisions, regulations, ordinances, and enactments of whatever kind, by any Church that can be named, must be utterly null and void from the beginning; and that aU Convocations, Synods, or Assemblies, of whatever kind, summoned for the purpose of making any such enactments, must have been chargeable with Schism, as having acted without distinct permission from the supreme cen- tral Authority. And hence it is, partly, that the notion I have been alluding to has so often led men to join the Church of Rome ; which does at least claim (though on no sufficient grounds) what our Church dis- tinctly disclaims, — to be that supreme central Authority. Before I conclude, I wish to call Claims of your attention to the efforts recently t/te Gospel- made in behalf of the truly venerable propagation- " Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," the Jubilee of which, at the close of its hundred and fiftieth year, was honoured with the presence and advocacy of an exalted Personage, distinguished not more by his high station than by his energetic and well-directed zeal in the cause of every institution and every undertaking calculated to benefit his adopted Country, and the whole human Race. 32 LEGISLATION IN BEHALF OF THE CHUECH. This Society, to which we owe the very exist- ence of a Sister-Church in America, and the exten- sion of our religious system to ahnost every part of the World in which our language is spoken, I could not more effectually advocate, even if my limits would permit, than by referring you to the little Tracts circulated by it, containing the speeches delivered before the diocesan Branch of it, in Dub- lin, by the present Bishop of Norwich. And these I earnestly recommend to your attention. I also recommend, that, according to the sug- gestion of the Parent- Society, you should urge its claims on the attention of your People, by sermons, or otherwise, as may be judged most suitable for each locality. APPENDIX. (A), page 3. Among the things excluded from the Christian system, we are fully authorized to include all subjection of the Christian World, permanently, and from generation to generation, to some one Spiritual-Ruler (whether an individual man or a Church) the delegate, representative and vicegerent of Christ ; whose authority should be binding on the conscience of all, and decisive on every point of faith. Jesas Himself, who told his Disciples that it was " expedient for them that He should go away, that He might send them another Comforter, who should abide with them for ever," could not possibly have failed, had such been his design, to refer them to the man, or Body of men, who should, in per- petual succession, be the depositary of this divine consolation and supremacy. And it is wholly incredible that He Himself should be perpetually spoken of and alluded to as the Head of His Church, without any reference to any Supreme Head on Earth, as fully representing Him, and bearing universal rule in his name, — whether Peter or any other Apostle, or any successor of one of these, — this, I say, is utterly incredible, supposing the Apostles or their Master had really designed that there should be for the universal Church any institution answering to the oracle of God under the Old Dispensation, at the Tabernacle or the Temple. The Apostle Paul, in speaking of miracles as " the signs of an Apostle," evidently implies that no one not possessing such mira- culous gifts as his, much less without possessing any at all, — could be entitled to be regarded as even on a level with the Apostles ; yet he does not, by virtue of that his high office, claim for himself, or allow to Peter or any other, supreme rule over all the Churches. And while he claims and exercises the right to decide authoritatively on points of faith and of practice on which he had received express revelations, he does not leave his converts any injunction to apply hereafter, when he shall be removed from them, to the Bishop or Rulers of any other Church, for such decisions ; or to any kind of permanent living Oracle to dictate to all Christians in all Ages. Nor does he even ever hint at any subjection of one Church to another, singly, or to any number of D 34 APPENDIX (a). others collectively ; — to that of Jerusalem, for instance, or of Rome ; or to any kind of general Council. It appears plainly from the sacred narrative, that though the many Churches which the Apostles founded were branches of one Spiritual Brotherhood, of which the Lord Jesus Christ is the Heavenly Head, — though there was " one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism," for all of them, yet they were each a distinct, inde- pendent comnmnity on Earth, united by the common principles on which they were founded, and by their mutual agreement, affection, and respect ; but not having any one recognised Head on Earth, or acknowledging any sovereignty of one of these Societies over others. — Essay II. on Kingdom of Christ, § 15. While questions are eagerly discussed as to the degree of deference due to the " decisions of the universal Church," some preliminary questions are often overlooked : such as, — when, and where did any one visible Community, comprising all Christians as its members, exist? Docs it exist still? Is its authority the same as formerly? or when, and how, was its authority sup- pressed, or curtailed? And, again, who are its rulers and other officers, rightfully claiming to represent Him who is the acknow- ledged Head of the Universal (or Catholic) Church, Jesus Christ, and to act as his Vicegerents on Earth? For it is jilain that no society that has a supreme Governor, can perform any act, as a Society, and in its corporate capacity, without that supreme Governor, either in person, or represented by some one clearly deputed by him, and invested with his authority. And a Bishop, Presbyter, or other officer, of any particular Church, although he is a member of the Universal Christian-Church, and also a christian Ecclesiastical Ruler, is not a Ruler of the Universal Church; his jurisdiction not extending beyond his particular Diocese, Province, or Church : any more than a European King is King of Europe. Who then are to be recognised as Rulers of (not merely hi) the Universal Church ? Where (on Earth) is its central supreme government, such as every single Community must have? Who is the accredited organ empowered to pro- nounce its decrees, in the name of the whole Community? And where are these decrees registered? Yet many persons are accustomed to talk familiarly of the decisions of the Catholic Church, as if there were some accessible record of them, such as we have of the Acts of auy Legislative Body; and "as if there existed some recognised functionaries, regularly authorized to govern and to represent that community, APPENDIX (a). 35 the Church of Christ; and answering to the king — senate — or other constituted authorities, in any secular community. And yet no shadow of proof can be offered that the Church, in the above sense, — the Universal Church, — can possibly give any decision at all ; — that it has any constituted Authorities as the organs by which such decision could be framed or promulgated ; — or, in short, that there is, or ever was, any 07ie community on earth, recognised, or having any claim to be recognised, as the Universal Church, bearing rule over and comprehending all par- ticular Churches." — Essay II. on Kingdom of Christ, § 22. (B), No. 1, page 11. From the Irish Prelates to his Grace the Lord Archhisho}} of Canterbury. We, the undersigned Archbishops and Bishops of the United Church of England and Ireland, have seen in the public prints a document entitled " An humble Address of the Archbishops and Bishops of the Church of England,'' and commencing with the following words : — " May it please your Majesty, we the Arch- bishops and undersigned Bishops of tlie Church of England, approach your Majesty," lace of William Casey, whom she had dejirived in 1557, was allowed to retain his see for eleven years; although Casey, whom be had supplanted, was living, and in fact was afterwards replaced in his old see, when Lacy resigned it, in 1571. More might be added ; but perhaps these two examples may be sufficient upon this head. Secondly. Let us hear what Roman-Catholic authors have ad- mitted respecting the broken condition of their hierarchy after the Reformation, and the methods adopted from time to time by the Popes for replacing it from foreign sources. I. D'Alton, in his Memoirs of tJie Arclihishops of Dublin, (8vo, 1838,) writes thus: — " A.D. 1599. — After Hugh Curwin had abandoned the Eoman- Catholic faith, the assertion of Queen Elizabeth's supremacy, and the imprisonments, &c., prevented the appointment of a prelate for wpwards of forty years. At length, Pliilip II. of Spain sent over a troop of Spaniards to assist James Fitzmaurice in his rebellion, and with them he sent Matthew de Ovicdo, a Spanish friar; but the enterprise failed, and the friar returned home. But in IGCK) he was again invited over, and was appointed Archbishop of Dublin by the Pope." D'Alton justly styles him ' an emissary and agent of Philip II.' In 1601 he was driven out of the country, and died in obscurity in Spain. " In 1611, after a lapse of ten years, Eugene Matthews was ap 42 APPENDIX (b). pointed by the Pope. He fled from Ireland about 1G17, and died in the Netherlands in 1G23. " In 1623, Thomas Fleming was sent over by the Pope, lie died about 1653. " 1660. At the close of the year 1660 there were hut three pre- lates of the Eoman-Catholic faith in Ireland, those of Armagh, Meath, and Kilmorc ; while this sec (Dublin) was under the juris- diction and control of James Dempsey, Vicar Apostolic and Capitu- lary of Kildare." Mr. D'Alton is a very laborious and inquiring writer, and his statements of these matters need not be disputed. But he does not stand alone ; he is abundantly supported by other historians of the same creed, who lived much nearer to the events in ques- tion, and who would not be likely either to omit or understate any circumstance seemingly favourable to the credit or power of their Church. II. Thus, Philip O'Sullevau, in his Historice CathoUcoi Com- pendium, (4to, Ulyssipone, 1C21,) admits, that in 1579, Patrick O'Hely was consecrated Bishop of Mayo, by Pope Gregory XIII., and sent over to Ireland, to oppose the English heresy. He states that in his time (about 1620), very few Irish bishops were ap- pointed, because they could not live in honour and dignity with- out eccleeiastical revenues; wherefore the four archbishops, appointed by the Pope, nominated vicars-general, hy papal autho- rity, to their suffragan sees. Eugene Mac Mahon, Archbishop of Dublin, and David O'Kearney, Archbishop of Cashel, remained in Ireland; but Peter Lombard, of Armagh, and Florence O'Mel- conry, of Tuam, delegated their provinces to vicars. — (p. 229.) III. Peter Lombard, in bis work, De Regno HihernicB, (4to, 1624,) gives this, among other urgent reasons, why the Pope, and the King of Spain, and other Boman-Catholic princes, ought to assist Ireland in her rebellious attempts ; viz., that most, indeed all, the metropoles and dioceses were deprived of the consolation of their pastors. — (p. 4G4.) He speaks of the dioceses of Ireland, as passim vaca/ntes. — (p. 490.) He owns that, in IGOO, Dermit, Bishop of Cork, was the only Pioman-Catholic bishop of the province of Muster, then alive. — (p. 431). IV. Father Peter Walsh, a Franciscan friar, (called by C. O'Conor " the most learned man of that learned order,") in his APPENDIX (b). 43 extremely valuable work, The History of the Loyal Irish Remon- strance, (fol. 1673,) gives a vast deal of curious and important information about the broken state of the hierarchy, from about 1640 to 1672 ; and furnishes evidence that several of the dioceses were under the government of vicars apostolic. At p. 4 he states that the titular Archbishop of Armagh, the Bishop of Meath, and the old bed-ridden Bishop of Kilmore, (Owen M'Swiney, of whom see some account in Burnetts Life of Bishop Bedell,) were the only three bishops in Ireland. James Dempsey was Vicar Apos- tolic of Dublin, and Capitulary of Kildare. Limerick was under custodiam. The other bishops were in foreign parts. Page 573, (fee. The sees of Clonfert, Elphin, Killaloe, and Kil- macduagh, (all of the province of Tuam,) were vacant, and under vicars-general. Only three bishops were then alive in Ireland, viz., of Kilmore, Ardagh, and Tuam. All the dioceses of Dublin province, except Ferns, were vacant in November, 166-5. All the sees of Cashel province loere vacant, their bishops being dead; except Kilfenora, the bishop of which was in France. And the only bishops then surviving, and residing in foreign parts, were Edmond O'Reilly, Archbishop of Armagh ; Nicholas French, Bishop of Ferns ; and Andrew Lynch, Bishoi) of Kilfenora ; three at home, and three abroad. In 1666, Dublin, Cashel, and Killaloe, were under vicars apo- stolic. Between 1669 and 1672, thirteen or fourteen new bishops, in- cluding four archbishops, were created at Home, by the Pope. Y. Francis Porter, in his Compendium Annalium Ecclesiast. Regni Hibertiice, (4to, Ilomje, 1690,) mentions, that the Nuncio at Paris was very anxious that the succession should be kept up ; and therefore he procured the appointment of P. Talbot to Dublin; Oliver Plunket to Armagh; John Bourgath to Cashel; and James Lynch to Tuam ; with others. He informs us (p. 343), that the whole province of Ulster, except one or two dioceses, was without bishops for nine-and- hoenty years; and states that, in his own time, several sees were vacant, and that there were certain people who used all their efforts to keep them so. VI. Anthony Bruodin, another friar, in his book, called "Pro- pugnaculum Catholicoi Veritatis," (4to, Pragis, 1669,) a most 44 APPENDIX (b). abusive and mendacious work, speaks of Matthew Roche as having been, in 1644, foi* thirty-five years Vicar Apostolic of Leighlui. VII. Thomas De Burgo, in his Hibernia Dominiccma, (4to, Kilkenny, 1763-73,) tells us— Page 869, that " Bishop Thonory, of Ossory, died in 1565, and the bishopric was nut filled vp till 1582, when the Pope appointed Thomas Strong;;. He resided in Spain, and died there in 1601. His place was not filled up till 1618, when David Roth was appointed." Page 817. — " Eugene Matthews was made Archbishop of Dublin, on May 2nd, 1611. Before him was Matthew de Oviedo, who had been appointed on May 5th, 1600. Before him the see of Dublin was without a pastor for thirty-three years." Thus we see that Bourke admits Hugh Curwiu (who resigned in 1567) to have been its lawful bishop, although he had con- formed to the Reformed faith. " In 1646, Ross, and also Tuam, were under Vicars Apostolic. " 1667, Nicholas French presented a petition to the Pope, which contained the names of the Roman-Catholic bishops who had died since 1649. The list comprises — Nine bishops, who had died in Ireland. TJiree, who had been executed. Ten, who had died in exile in foreign parts ; and Four, who were then alive." VIII. In the Catholic Directory, annually published in Dublin, we have, in the volume for the year 1837, lists of the successive bishops of each diocese of Ireland. How fiir the com- pilers were able to make out a full and unbroken succession, the following specimens may show : — " WATEEFOED AND LISMOEE. Nicholas Cummin resigned in 1551. Patrick Comerford was Bishop in 1646, &c. CLONFEET. Roland de Burgo was elected in 1534. Thaddeus OTerral was Bishop in 1602, &c. ACnONET. Cormac was Bishop in 1523. Eugene (at the Council of Trent) died 1623. Dr. Durcan was Vicar Apostolic. Dominic O'Daly was consecrated in 1726, &c. APPENDIX (b). 45 KILFENOBA. Jolin O'Hinalan, 1552. Andrew Lynch was Bishop in 1649, &c. KILMACDUAGH. Christopher Bodkin translated to Tuam, 1536. Hugh Burke 1609, &e. COEK AND CLOTNE. John Hovedon, appointed 1542. Edmond Tanner, Bishop in 1580. "William Therry, Bishop in 1620. AEDFEET. James Fitzmaurice, Bishop in 1556. Eichard Coimell, in 1648. DUBLIN. No Archbishop from 1559 till 5th May, 1600. Matthew de Oviedo, 1600, &c., &c." There is little doubt that those wide gaps would gladly have been filled up, if satisfactory materials for doing so were at hand. And when to all the foregoing evidence we add the recent admis- sion of Archbishop MacHale, in his sermon preached before the Synod of Thurles, that there was a " disastrous time when only two bishops could be found in the land;" it is hoped, from a spirit of fairness, that the loose assertions ignorantly hazarded respect- ing the hierarchy of the Church of Ireland may henceforth be discontinued ; and that we may hear no more of an uninterrupted line and perpetual succession of Ronum-Catholic bishops from the time of St. Patrick to this day, when the contrary is undeniably and notoriously the truth. Henry Cotton. (C), page 19. I HAVE thought it advisable to reprint in this place an extract from a work published some time ago : — The Bill I have been alluding to is apparently regarded by many as a Bill to admit Jews into Parliament; because, inciden- tally, such is likely to be, in one or two instances, the result; and the question, accordingly, which presents itself to the mind of many persons is, whether a Jew is or is not the fittest person, — or a fit person, — to have a seat in the Legislature. But in 40 APPENDIX (c). reality the question is, not this, but a very different one; namely, whether the Electors shall be left to their own unrestricted choice, or whether it is right and necessary to tie them up by legislative enactments. Now if each man were to hold himself bound in conscience to endeavour to compel all others to act, in every case, in the way in which he would himself think it right to act, and to restrain them by law from the exercise of any of their rights in a way which to lam might seem objectionable, the result would evidently be a most intolerable tyranny exercised by the majority over the minority. There would be an end of all liberty, if men were to be deprived of all rights and all power ■which they may possibly make an ill use of, or such a use as their rulers might think not to be the best. That paternal govern- ment, as it is called, which in ruder ages well-meaning men have often attempted to introduce, — a government which prescribes to the subjects, as a parent to his children, their diet, their dress, their expenditure, their studies, and their whole mode of life, — such a government is evidently quite incompatible with rational liberty, and uusuited to the character of man considered as a rational agent. In a free country, though restrictions must indeed be imposed when the public welfare requires it, they should be strictly reserved for such cases. The general rule must be, that each man should be left to act according to his own dis- cretion ; and the exceptions to this rule should rest on the ground of some manifest and important public advantage sufficient to counterbalance the evil of a restriction. Accordingly thu.sc who in any case oppose the limitation of their neighbour's rights, are not to be therefore considered as necessarily approving of the mode in which he may think fit to exercise those rights. Any one, for example, who may have voted for the removal of civil disabilities from Koman-Catholics and Dissenters, might, with perfect consistency, give the preference, as an elector, to a candidate who was a member of our Church. And in like manner a man would be guilty of no inconsistency who should, as a legislator, vote for the alteration of the law as it now stands, even though he should himself, as an elector, prefer to vote for one whom he believed to be a sincere Christian. For the question is, as I have said, not whether one not profess- ing Christianity is well qualified for a seat in Parliament, but whether the electors should be left to decide for themselves in APPENDIX (c). 47 each case, or should have the decision made for them : — whether, in short, there is or is not any such danger to the State, or to any of our institutions, in leaving them their choice, as to warrant our interference with the freedom of election. And here it may be needful to observe by the way, that I do not attach much weight to the argument of those who urge that, as it is, we have no security against insincere professions of Chris- tianity, and that probably several members of Parliament are in reality not more Christians than those who decline making the declaration now required. The argument was, I think, suffi- ciently answered in the late debate, by those who replied that the Legislature has at least not sanctioned the admission of such persons ; that, having required a profession of Christianity, it has done all that it can do; and that we are not responsible for any unavoidable evasion of our regulations. This reply appears to me conclusive. And indeed (to take the case of bribery by way of illustration) all persons, I apprehend, would admit that it would ill become the House of Commons to allow a man to retain his seat who was convicted of bribery ; although we must always expect that there will be cases of persons obtaining a seat by such means, and escaping detection. In like manner, if it be our duty to exclude, as far as in us lies, all persons from Parliament, or from any other situation, who do not assent to such and such doctrines, we are bound to exact a jiro/essio^i, which is all we can exact ; and if any evasion of our enactments take place, we may plead that, at least, they have not our sanction. But then it is to be remembered, on the other hand, that the Legislature does sanction the election of Roman-Catholics, and of Dissenters of all descriptions, to sit in Parliament. The words, " on the true faith of a Christian," are not followed by " of the Church of England and if, therefore, it be contended that the omission of the former words must imply indifference to Chris- tianity, it must be admitted that the omission of any further pro- fession implies indifference as to all Churches and sects of professing Christians; including Romanists and Protestants, Mor- monites and German Transcendentalists, • 1 sionstraceahle ber, by assiduous eiiorts of any Komish to something emissary urging the claims of his internal. church, and gradually prevailing on men to admit them, — it Avas not thus that the greater part of those who have seceded from our church were won over. On the contrary, most of them, in the midst of their strenuous disclaimers of Romanism, sponta- neously introduced into their practice and their teaching such principles and such doctrines as they at length discovered to be essentially Romish. And then they probably wondered — some of them — that they had been so long blinded, and that others did still continue blinded, as to their real position. Like the soldiers of the Syrian army, whose sight had been miraculously deluded by the prophet Elisha, "tlieir eyes were opened, and behold they were in the midst of Samaria !" Then it was that the most clear-sighted and most consistent of those who had maintained such principles, overleaped, easily and suddenly, the very narrow chasm wliich had separated them from the Church of Rome, and they became, openly and professedly, what, inwardly and essentially, they had been long before. The existence in the human mind of tendencies such as I have been alluding to, I pointed out — as you are all probably well aware — many years ago, B 2 4 THE CLAI]\IS OF TRUTH 1 long before the occurrence of those secessions from our Church which have of late excited so much attention, and even before the distinct embodying of that party to which those secessions have been traced.' Rcmaricahic And tlicsc tendencies of Man's nature piieno7nenon must doubtlcss bc among the causes of in the history i • i i i of the Rtfor- a phenomenon which has been often mation. remarked, and remarked with wonder. I mean the stationary, or even receding condition of the Reformation, for nearly three centuries. At its first outbreak, and for a short time after, it spread, as is well known, with such rapidity as to excite hopes — and fears, — of its becoming universal. But before long, it came to a stand. Not only did it cease to make any considerable advance, but even lost some portions of ground which it had gained. And for about two hundred years, both parties — its supporters and its opponents — have remained nearly stationary in their respective positions. Now, whatever any one's judgment may be as to the question whether the Reformation was justifiable or unjustifiable — a good or an evil — all must on reflection admit that there is something strange, and at variance mth what would have been naturally anticipated, in the actual course of events : — in that great movement's having at first ' The Errors of Bomanism traced to their origin in humcm nature. I AND OF UNITY. 5 advanced as it did, and having been checked as it was, and remaining where it is. Those who regard the alleged abuses and corruptions in the Church as altogether unreal, and believe that there is an infallible safeguard for its unaltered and unalterable purity — these might naturally have expected that an impious rebellion, and apostasy from christian doctrine, in professing Christians, must speedily come to an end as soon as it had received any check, and had lost the grace of novelty, and when those who had at first been taken by surprise, and struck dumb with horror, had brought forward demonstrations of the falsity of what had been alleged. And those, on the other hand, who con- sider the unreformed Church as having most widely and most glaringly departed from the original Gospel as set forth in Scripture, might naturally have expected that when the Bible (which all Christians acknowledge as of divine authority) had been translated into modern languages, and printed, and generally read, all men would compare with Scripture what they had been taught, and would at once reject all the corruptions and abuses which ignorant or ungodly men had introduced. How different the actual course of of the things has proved, from either of these ^cmdithnof anticipations, is well knoAvn to all. theRefurma- Several causes have been assigned for the phenomenon we are considering; some having a reference to particular periods of time. 6 THE CLAIMS OF TRUTH and localities, and others, of more general operation. But among these causes (and doubtless there are several) those tendencies of human nature which I have been alluding to must have been not the least powerful. To those who embrace the prin- ciples of the Reformation, and who take such a view as they (consequently) must take of the system which that Reformation rejected, — to these, it must seem hardly credible that such a system should, in civilized countries, not only maintain its ground, but occasionally revive, supposing it were altogether a device of ambitious and ingenious men, and were not in great measure the spontaneous groAvth of the human heart. Plants brought from a foreign land, and cultivated by human care, may often be, by human care, extirpated ; or may even perish for want of care : but the indigenous product of the soil, even when seemingly eradicated, will again and again be found springing up afresh : — " Sponte sua qure se tollunt in lumiuis oras Infecunda quidem, sed Iteta ct fortia surgunt, Quippe solo natura subest." Contentions But of the more immediate causes, iestantf'^°' which has been most frequently remarked upon, is, that soon after the first outbreak of the revolt from Rome, reformers began to expend the chief part of their energies in contests with each other; and often showed more zeal, and even fiercer hostility, against rival- Pro- AND OF UNITY. 7 testants, than against the systems and the principles which they agreed in condemning. The adherents of the Church of Rome, on the contrary, though in many points disagreeing, and sometimes fiercely disputing among themselves, have always been ready to waive all internal diiFer- ences, and unite actively, as against a common enemy, in opposing the Greek Church, and all deno- minations of Protestants. They are like a disci- plined army under a single supreme leader; in which, whatever jealousies and dissentions may exist among the individual officers and soldiers, every one is at his post whenever the trumpet gives the call to arms, and the whole act as one man against the hostile army. The Reformers, on the contrary, have laboured under the disadvan- tages which are well known in military history, of an allied army, — a host of Confederates; who are often found to forget the common cause, and desert, or even oppose, one another. Hence, it is continually urged against Private judg- the Reformed Churches, " see what '"^^ '"^ , , , leged obstacle comes of allowmg private judgment in to union. religion. Men's private judgments in such matters, all experience shows, are morally cer- tain to differ from each other; and there cannot therefore be any reasonable hope of union and com- bined action, except by resolving to submit impli- citly, in every case, to the decisions of one supreme central authority." 8 THE CLAIMS OF TRUTH Despair of n ig told of tliG EmperoF Charles reason fvr co- the Fifth, wlio, after his abdication, erccd con/or- occupied liimsclf ill liis retirement with mechanical experiments, that, finding it impossible, with all his care, to make any two of his time-pieces exactly agree in their movements, he was thence led to reflect on the hopelessness of bringing all men to a perfect agreement in their judgments on all religious questions. And some seem to suppose that he was thus led, — or might have been led, — to susjDcct the erroneousness of his former procedure in attempting to force all his subjects into religious conformity. But the oppo- site inference would seem to be the more natural. For if any one did think it possible to bring all men's judgments to an agreement, he would endea- vour to convince them by reasons, and would not think of resorting to force; which evidently can produce only submission, but not conviction. It is when a man despairs of effecting an agreement in men's individual judgments, that he will be tempted to endeavour, first, to persuade them that it is a duty to forego the use of their judgment on each point, submitting implicitly to the judgment of another, and next, to compel by force those who cannot be persuaded of this, at least to profess, and outwardly act on such a principle. If the ex-Emperor could have constructed time- pieces that would all go exactly alike, there would have been no need to regulate one of them by AND OF TNITY. 9 another; but if, finding their discrepany incurable, he was yet resolved that they should exhibit perfect agreement, he might easily have effected this, by fixing on one as the standard, and daily regulating all the others by that. What the Komanist means by re- leaning of ,, . . nil Itoinanist nouncmg private judgment and ad- renunciation, hering to the decisions of the Church, and of the , • n 1 -n Protestant IS, substantially, what many rrotestants advocacy of express by saying " We make truth the private judg- first and paramount object, and the others, unity. The two expressions, when rightly understood, denote the same; but they each require some ex- planation to prevent their being understood incor- rectly, and even unfairly. A Roman-Catholic does exercise private judg- ment, once for all, if (not through carelessness, but on earnest and solemn deliberation) he resolves to place himself completely under the guidance of that Church (as represented by his Priest) which he judges to have been divinely appointed for that pur- pose. And in so doing he considers himself, not as manifesting indifi*erence about truth, but as taking the way by which he will attain either complete and universal religious truth, or at least a greater amount of it than could have been attained otherwise. To speak of such a person as indifferent about truth, would be not only uncharitable, but also as unrea- sonable as to suppose a man indifferent about his 10 THE CLAIMS OF TKUTH health, or about his property, because, distrusting liis own judgment on points of Medicine, or of Law, he places himself under the direction of those whom he has judged to be the most trustworthy physician and lawyer. Unassisted ^^^^ Other hand, a Protestant, in siudijofSerip- advocating private judgment, does not tare not ad vo- , , caiedhi/Pro- — some have represented — neces- testants. saHly maintain that every man should set himself to study and interpret for himself the Scriptures (which, we should recollect, are written in the Hebrew and Greek languages) without seek- ing or accepting aid from any instructors, whether under the title of Translators (for a translator who claims no inspiration is manifestly a human instructor of the People as to the sense of Scripture) or whether called Commentators, Preachers, or by whatever other name. Indeed considering the multitude of Tracts, Commentaries, Expositions, and Discourses of various forms, that have been put forth and assi- duously circulated by Protestants of all Denomina- tions, for the avowed purpose (be it well or ill executed) of giving religious instruction, it is really strange that such an interpretation as I have alluded to should ever have been put on the phrase " private judgment." For, to advert to a parallel case, of daily occurrence, all would recommend a student of Mathematics, for instance, or of any branch of Natural-Philosophy, to seek the aid of a well-qualified Professor or Tutor. And yet he AKD OF UNITY. 11 would be thought to have studied in vain, if he should even think of taking on trust any mathema- tical or physical truth, on the word of his instructors. It is, on the contrary, their part to teach Mm hoiv — by demonstration, or by experunent — to verify each point for himself. On the other hand, the adherents Judgment ex- of a Church claiming to be infallible Homanists as on all essential points, and who conse- to what points , „ . are essential. quently proiess to renounce private judgment, — these (besides that, as has been just said, they cannot but judge for themselves as to one point — that very claim itself) have also room for the exercise of judgment, and often do exercise it, on questions as to what points are essential, and for which, consequently, infallible rectitude is insured.' For we should be greatly mistaken if we were to assume that all who have opposed what we are accustomed to call " the Reformation" were satisfied that there was nothing in their Church that needed reform, or were necessarily indifferent about the removal of abuses. We know that on the contrary, many of them pointed out and com- plained of, and studied to have remedied, sundry ' Tims the Jansenists, when certain doctrines were pronounced heretical by the Court of Rome, which condemned Jansenius for maintaining them, admitted, as in duty bound, the decision that they were heretical, but denied that they were implied in Jansc- nius's writings ; and of this latter jjoint the Pope, they said, was no more qualified or authorized to decide than any other man. 12 THE CLAIMS OF TRUTH corruptions that had crept into their Church, and which were, in many instances, sanctioned by its highest authorities/ Sincere, one must suppose, and strong, must have been the conviction of several who both did and suffered much in hxbouriiig after such remedy. And it would be absurd as well as uncharitable, to take for granted that Erasmus, for instance, and, still more, Pascal, and all the Jansenists, were withheld merely by personal fear, or other personal motives, from revolting against the Church of Rome. But they conceived, no doubt, that what they con- sidered Church-unity was to be preserved at any cost; that a separation from what they regarded as the Catholic [or Universal] Church, was a greater ' The celebrated Roman-catholic Bishop Bossuet thus de- scribes the times before the Reformation. " A Reformation of ecclesiastical discipline had been desired several ages since. ' Who will grant me,' says St. Bernard, ' be- fore I die, to see the Church of God such as she had been in the primitive times?' . . . Disorders had still increased since his time. The Roman Church . . . was not exempt from the evil ; and, from the time of the Council of Vienne, a great prelate, com- missioned by the Pope to prepare matters there to be discussed, laid it down as a groundwork to that holy assembly, ' to reform the Church in the head and the members.' . . . The disorders of the clergy, chiefly those of Germany, were represented in this manner to Eugenius IV. by Cardinal Julian. ' These disorders excite the hatred of the people against the whole ecclesiastical order, and should they not be corrected, it is to be feared lest the laity, like the Hussites, should rise against the clergy, as they loudly threaten us When they shall no longer have any hopes of our amendment,' continued this great Cardinal, ' then will they fall upon us. . . . The rancour they have imbibed AND OF UNITY. 13 evil than all others combined. If, without loss of unity, they could succeed in removing any of those other evils, for such a reform they would gladly labour. But, if not, to Unity^ anything and every- thing was to be sacrificed. Such seems to have been the sen- Desirahhness timent, as far as I could collect, of a " Roman-catholic Priest, apparently a man of great simplicity of character, with whom, not very long since, I had an interview, at his own desire. He spoke to me very strongly (as, I understand, he had, to several other of our bishops) of the unseemly and lamentable spectacle — as I could not but agree with him in thinking it — of disunion and contention against us becomes manifest ; they will soon think it an agreeable sacrifice to God to abuse and rob ecclesiastics, as abandoned to eodreme disorders, a/rid Jiate/ul to God cmd mcm.^ " — History of Variations, b. i., c. 1. This is pretty strong ; but he might have cited even stronger testimonies. " The Church of God," says Bernard, " every day finds by sad experience in what danger she is, when the Shep- herd knows not where the pastures ore, nor the guide wliere the right way is, and when that very man who should speak for God, and on his side, is ignorant what is the Avill of his master." Nicholas de Clemangis, another Roman-catholic writer of those times, speaks thus : " The church that Jesus Christ has chosen for his spouse without spot and blemish, is in these days a ware- house of ambition and business, of theft and rapine. The Sacra- ments and all Orders, even to those of the priests, are exposed to sale. They sell pardons of sins, masses, and the very adminis- tration of our Lord's body." And further, he declares, that "the study of the Holy Scriptures, and those who taught them, were generally derided," and that the " bishops themselves were the foremost to scoff at them." u THE CLAIMS OF TIIUTII among Christ's professed followers. And he dwelt much on the duty of earnestly praying and striving for unity. Different In reference to this point, I thought vieros ofxohat j^^cdful to remind him that two par- clivistian unity consists in. t'lQS wliilc apparently agreeing in their prayers and endeavours for unity, might possibly mean by it different things : the one understanding by it the submission of all Christians to the govern- ment of one siyigle Ecclesiastical Community on earth ; the other merely mutual kindness, and agreement in faitli. This latter, I added, seems to have been the view of the Apostles ; who founded many distinct Churches, — several even in each Province, — and all, apparently, quite independent of each other, or of any one central Body,' though all were exhorted to " keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of ' To one among the many passages which go to prove this, I directed his especial attention ; that in wliich Paul's fin il inter- view (as he believed it) with the Elders of Miletus and Ephesus is recorded. (Acts xx.) Foreseeing the dangers to which they would be exposed, even from false teachers among themselves, and of which he had been earnestly warning them for three years, it is inconceivable that he should not have directed them to Peter or his successors at Rome or elsewhere, if he had known of any central supreme Church, provided as an infallible guide, to whose decisions they might safely refer when doubts or disputes should arise. It follows therefore inevitably that he knew of none. I have heard it alleged as a reply, that since they had had ample opi)ortunities of learning the Gospel from Paul's own teaching, which they were earnestly exhorted to " remember," no further help was deemed necessary for those who would but "take heed to themselves." And in this I fully concur ; on the ground AND OF UNITY. 15 peace." Such unity, I reminded him (for he was formerly a minister of our Church) is the subject of a special petition in our " Prayer for all conditions of men^'' and in several others. But our first object, I remarked, Truth the first should be truth. And if that could be universally attained, Unity would have been attained also; since truth is one. On the other hand, unity may conceivably be attained by agreement in error : so that, while, by the universal adoption of a right faith, unity would be secured, incidentally, the attainment of unity would be no security for truth. I reminded him, moreover, that agreement among Christians, though an object we should wish for, and endeavour by all allowable means to promote, must, after all, depend on others as much as on our- that nothing further was, by divine wisdom, provided for them. But Paul surely would not have thought that nothing more was provided, or was needed, if he had known of any central church to whose governors all Christians were bound to be subject, and from which they might obtain, whenever needed, an infallible decision of all doubtful j)oints, and an acknowledged unerring condemnation of any heresies, such as he foresaw were likely to arise. Had any such additional safeguard existed, Paul could not but have known of it, and could not, on such an occasion, have failed to allude to it. But in the actual state of things he doubt- less did judge that sufficient i)rovision had been made for the pre- servation of Gospel-truth among the Milesians and Ephesians. And it is to be remembered that precisely the same is ours; since we have the teaching of this very Apostle handed down to us in his Epistles. On this point I have treated more at length in a Discourse on the Search aftm- Infallibility. IG THE CLAIMS OF TRUTH selves; and our endeavour may be completely defeated through tlLcir fault: whereas truth is a benefit — and a benefit of the first importance — to those who receive it themselves, even though they should have to lament its rejection by many others. Openness to And I pointed out to him that to eonviction no pp^y and strivc for truth, and to be indication of . . , a wavering Gvcr Open to couviction, docs not (as faith. seemed to imagine) imply a wavering faith, and an anticipation of change. When any one (to advert to an ilhistration I then employed) prints from moveable types^ this does not imply that he has committed, or that he suspects, typographical errors, any more than if he had employed an engraved plate. The types are not moveable in the sense of beino; loose, and liable to casual chanije. He may be challenging all the world to point out an error ; showing that any can be corrected if they do detect one ; though perhaps he is fully convinced that there are none. But above all, it should be remem- Unity an evil ' ^ when made the bcrcd that cvcn if any system which first ohject. j^^^ agreed to adopt for peace- sake, should be, in fact, perfectly true in itself, still it would not be true to those who should have acquiesced in it not from conviction, but merely with a view to union. On the other hand, the unity — whether among all Christians, or any por- tion of them — which is the result of their all AND OF UNITY. 17 holding the same truth, — this unity is not the less perfect from its being incidental, and not the primary object aimed at, and to which all else was to be sacrificed. But those who have only inci- dentally adhered to what is in itself perfectly right, may be themselves, wrong; even to a greater degree than those who may have fallen into error on some points, but who are on the whole sincere votaries of truth. I reminded him, in conclusion, that Reason why " No man can serve two masters :" not ^g^^g two because they are necessarily opposed^ masters. but because they are not necessarily combined, and cases may arise in which the one must give way to the other.' There is no necessary opposition even between " God and Mammon," if by " Mammon" we understand worldly prosperity. For it will com- monly happen that a man will thrive the better in the world from the honesty, frugality, and tempe- rance, which he may be practising from higher motives. And there is not even anything neces- sarily wrong in aiming at temporal advantages. But whoever is resolved on obtaining wealth in one * " Either he will love the one and hate the other;" this seems to refer to cases in which a radical opposition between the two does exist : " or else he will cleave to the one, and despise [i. e. disregard and neglect] the other:" this latter seems to be the description of those cases in which there is no such necessary opposition; only that cases will sometimes arise in which the one or the other must be disregarded. 18 THE CLAIMS OF TRUTH •way or another, ("si possis, recte; si non, quo- cuuque modo, rem") will occasionally be led to violate duty : and he, again, who is fully bent on " seeking first the kingdom of God and his righte- ousness," will sometimes find himself called on to incur temporal losses. And so it is, with the occa- sionally-rival claims of Truth and of Unity, or of any two objects which may possibly be, in some instance, opposed. We nmst make up our minds which is, in that case, to give way. One must be the supreme, — must be the " master^ Advantages " But after all," (it may be said) possessed by u Ppotestauts do not — at least univer- tkose who make unity the sally — attain truth, to which they pro- f.rst object. £ggg Sacrifice everything ; for if they did, they would all (as has been just observed) be agreed ; whereas, in fact, their differences, even on important points, are such as to constitute the favourite topic to their opponents. When they speak of the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and profess to be under its unerring guidance, these disagree- ments prove that all of them at least cannot be under this guidance. And though each may be confident m himself that it is he who is thus taught, and that the rest are mistaken, he cannot, in the absence of sensible miracles, give any proof that he can expect will satisfy others. The exercise, then, of private judgment exposes Protestants to the dis- advantages of divisions, and does not, after all, secure them an infallible certainty of attaining AND OF UNITY. 19 truth; while their opponents have at least the advantage of being united against every common adversary." And this advantage certainly does exist, and ought not to be denied, or kept out of sight. The principle is indeed sound of making truth, as embraced on sincere conviction, the first object, and unity a secondary one; and if Man were a less imperfect Being than he is, all who adhered to that principle, would, as has been said, be agreed and united ; and truth and rectitude would have their natural advantage over their opposites. But as it is, what we generally find, is, truth mixed with human error; and genuine religion tainted with an alloy of human weaknesses and prejudices. And this it is that gives a certain degree of advantage to any system — whether in itself true or false — -which makes union, and submission to a supreme Autho- rity on Earth, the first point. If you exhort men to seek truth^ and to embrace what, on deliberate examination, they are convinced is truth, they may follow this advice, and yet — con- sidering what ]Man is — may be expected to arrive at different conclusions. But if you exhort them to agree, and with that view, to make a compromise, — each consenting (like the Koman Triumvirs of old, who sacrificed to each other's enmity their respective friends) to proscribe some of their own convictions, — then, if they follow this advice, the end sought will be accomplished. c 2 20 THE CLAIMS OF TRUTH That the advantao;es, srreat as they Advantages of . ° ' ° uuiti/ may he arc, of unioii, are too dearly purcnased toodeariypur. ^ ^^^t^ ^ viviGe, isVhat nccd hardly be chased. ft .... said, hy me., or to you ; especially, since, besides the possibility that men may be united in what is erroneous and wrong, in itself, there is also (as I have already remarked) this additional evil, that whatever absolute truth there may be in what is assented to on such a principle, it is not truth to those who assent to it not on conviction, but for union's sake. And what is in itself right to be done, is wrong to him who does it without the approbation of his own judgment, at the bidding of others, and with a vicAV to their co-operation. I have dwelt the more earnestly on Application to , . , ... Parties and ^^^^ subjcct, becausc it IS important Associations {[^qx should be fully aware not only generally. advantages wliich undoubtedly are obtained by that kind of union I have been speaking of, but also of its disadvantages. For, neither belong exclusively to any particular Church or other Community, but to every kind of Party, Association, Alliance, or by whatever other name it may be called, in which there is an express or understood obligation on the members to give up, or to suppress, their own convictions, and submit to the decisions of the leader or leaders under whom they are to act. If indeed a Church lays down, as distinctly as the imperfections of language will allow, what it is AND OF UNITY. 21 that her Members and Ministers are required to hold, and to teach, and to do, leaving only such matters of detail as no general rules could specify, to be regulated by its appointed Officers, and if those who approve of its doctrine and worship are invited to be members of such a Church, but no one is visited with temporal penalties, or anathematized as excluded from Gospel-salvation, for refusing to be a member — this is doing no more than is evidently necessary for the constitution of such a christian Community as our divine Master evidently did intend should be constituted. But it is quite otherwise when any Church requires all who would claim the christian name to assent to her doctrines and conform to her AVorship, whether they approve of them or not, — to renounce all exercise of their own judgment — and to profess belief in whatever the Church has received, or may, hereafter, receive. Now — to waive for the present all -Adherents of notice of the unwarrantable assump- prfvedo/ae tion (as to us it must appear) which is character of here implied — I wish to call your atten- tion to one disadvantage to be weighed against the advantages of such a system: I mean that its adherents are deprived of the character of ivit- nesses. When a man professes, and we are unable to disprove the sincerity of the profession, that he has been, on examination, convinced of the truth of a 22 THE CLAIMS OF TRUTH certain doctrine, he is a witness to the force of the reasons which have convinced him. He may, in- deed, be perhaps a person entitled to no great consideration for knoAvledge or ability; but some weight, much or little, is possessed by every such witness, Avhen he solemnly declares himself to have given his "verdict according to the evi- dence." But the adherents of an opposite system give in reality no testimony at all, except to the fact that they have received so and so from their Guide. If there were but a hundred persons in all the world who professed to have fully convinced themselves, independently of each other's authority, of the truth of a certain conclusion, and these were men of no more than ordinary ability, their declaration would have incalculably more weight than that of a hundred millions, even though they were the most sagacious and learned men that ever existed, maintaining the opposite conclusion, but having previously resolved to forego all exercise of their own judgment, and to receive implicitly what is dictated to them by a certain supreme Authority. For, the testimony (to use a simple and obvious illustration) of even a small number of eye-witnesses of any transaction, even though possessing no extraordinary powers of vision, would outweigh that of countless millions who should have resolved to close their eyes, and to receive and retail the report they heard from a single individual. AND OF UNITY. 23 What I liave now been saying will Evangelical perhaps recall to your recollection the remarks I laid before you some years ago, in reference to a scheme (doubtless well intended) for uniting in an allied Body all those Protestants of various denominations who, thoug-h difFerino; on several points, were agreed as to certain funda- mental principles.' The object was, I presume, to obtain those advantages of union which are enjoyed by a Church demanding implicit submission to its authority, and at the same time to avoid incurring the attendant evils. For, the principles which the members of that association were to advocate were to be such as they had already adopted, spontane- ously^ and not on its authority. Now this very circumstance rendered (as I then remarked to you) any formal agreement and combination superfluous, at best, and probably worse than superfluous. If members of several diff'erent Protestant Communities, independent of each other, and, in some points, at variance, are found to agree spontaneously in holding and teach- ing such and such a doctrine, they are so many independent witnesses in its favour. But if they then hold meetings and conferences, and agree to maintain it, these can have no effect, except it be to raise a suspicion that they maintain it not wholly on their own separate unbiassed conviction, but in See Tlwughts on the Proposed Evangelical AUicmce. 24 THE CLAIMS OF TRUTH consequence of their having agreed so to bind them- selves. And as far as any such suspicion does arise, just so far is the weight of their testimony impaired. r> ^ . And the like takes place in reference JJejituleness oj -t^ object essential to any Association, Party, or whatever to the utility ^jgg ^ called, which has not a OJ Associa- J ' tions. definite but an indefinite object : not, for instance, the circulation of such and such specified books, or the enactment or repeal of such and such a law, but the promotion — generally — of such and such principles. In every case of the latter description, the danger is more or less incurred of the disadvantage I have alluded to; — the suspicion, namely, of individual judgment being in some degree waived, and of our being unduly biassed and overawed by the decisions of the majority, or of the leaders, of the Party. But while I have always deprecated any scheme, however specious at the first glance, which tends to promote (as I believe experience has now convinced most persons was the case with that alluded to) more dissension than union, and to weaken rather than strengthen the advocates of truth, you will not, I trust, suppose me indifferent to the evils of divisions, among Christians — among Protestant Christians — among members of our own Church. Nor should we despair of mitigating to an indefinite extent, an evil which we may despair of seeing wholly removed. AND or UNITY. 25 We of this Church, in particular, Advantages of Church orga- are especially bound to avail ourselves nization and to the utmost, of that organization, subordination. which, as a Church, we do possess. There is, indeed, an advantage, in some respects, that is pos- sessed by a Church constituted on such a principle (that of implicit and complete acquiescence) as no Protestant Church, rightly so called, can possibly adopt. But this is far from being any just reason, why, either in opposing such a Church, or in any other of our proceedings, we should rashly throw away such advantages as we do possess, by setting at nought the constituted Authorities, and the regulations, of our Church, or by keeping them out of sight, and acting as much as possible inde- pendently of them ; or by setting up what is in fact a new, self-constituted. Church, to supersede our own. Besides the culpable inconsistency of such conduct, we may be assured that nothing tends more to lower us in the estimation of those we would bring over to our Communion, and to furnish to our most determined opponents an argu- ment against us. Even the discord and mutual animosity of Protestants of various Communions, which I lately adverted to as one of the principal checks to the progress of the Reformation, — even this, has, I am convinced, less force in unfavourably impressing men's minds, than internal dissension, and fierce partizanship, and insubordination, within each Church.' ' See Appendix, A. 26 THE CLAIMS OF TRUTH Bitterness of might perhaps have been antici- opposition pated by any one proceeding merely among those . , i • , i , nearii/ agree- conjecturc, and without experience, that there would be at least a greater mildness of character in the disputes between those ■who have many points in common, and especially those belonging to the same Church, than between those the most utterly at variance in fundamentals. But experience shows that there is often even fiercer hostility among Christians towards each other, than towards infidels; and again, that (as I observed at the beginning) Reformers have often been more zealous and more acrimonious in their internal contests, than against the unreformed Churches; and lastly, that the bitterness of some parties within our Church against fellow-members of the same Church has often been such as to exemplify but too well the Greek proverb, that " cruel are the wars of brothers." This proverb has been in some degree explained by the great master of Grecian philosophy, in his remark that men most resent a supposed wrong when coming from those from whom it seems espe- cially unsuitable; — ^rj Trpodr/Koirwe.' Now we are perhaps disposed to expect that those who in a manner belong to the same class with ourselves, should agree with us throughout ; and to feel as if they were guilty of a sort of inconsistency in not ^ Arist. Rliet., b. ii., ou Anxger. AND OF UNITY. 27 doing so, and were a kind of traitors to the common cause. It may be moreover that the more remote any persons are from ourselves in all their principles of conduct, customs, institutions, and habits of thought, the more likely we are to be struck with any points of agreement that we perceive ; and that, on the other hand, the more closely they approach to ourselves generally, the more likely we are to notice any c?i.sagreement. In the one case the coincidences, in the other, the discrepancies, stand forth the more prominently to our view, as some- thing exceptional and unexpected. But be this as it may, the fact in question is undeniable, and is an evil which we cannot but deplore, and which, as I have said, we are bound to endeavour, by all allowable means, to miti- gate. In reference to those controversies Principles of I . 1 , ,1 • ,. . procedure in which at this time are occupying even ".ontroversies. an unusual share of public attention, I need not detain you by dwelling on those principles of procedure which, though most im- portant to be kept in mind, and though often, practically, forgotten, are yet such as no one can be really ignorant of, except those whom it would be hopeless to attempt instructing; and which are not liable to be lost sight of in practice except through such thoughtless indiscretion, or such predominance of ungoverned passion, as would 28 THE CLAIMS OF TRUTH probably make all admonitions on the subject fruitless. For instance, to abstain from all insulting or derisive language, (hoAvever suitable it may appear as regards the subject) in addressing those whom it is our object to convince and reform, would be a i^uperfluous precejDt to those who are acting on the golden rule of doing as we would be done by, and who possess sound judgment and feelings of delicacy; and by those again who are wanting in such qualifications, it would be unheeded.' And several other points there are, on which the general principles are what every right-minded man must have already admitted ; while the parti- cular application of those principles (in which the chief difficulty lies) could not be at all usefully explained except in a treatise of some length.^ But there are two suggestions, which, in con- clusion, I would lay before you, as being often overlooked by well-intentioned men. Foints of (-'^•) ^^^^ ^^^^ '^^ best, agreement to when opportunities offer of addressing he noticed fi} St. ^j^^g^ differ from us, to begin with the points of agreement^^rather than of difference ; and to point out, and give them full credit for whatever truths may belong to their system, instead of confining ourselves to its errors. Now it is not unnatural (as I remarked just ' Appendix, B. 2 Appendix, C. AND OF UNITY. 29 now) in conferring with those who agree with us in several points, to be the most struck with the dis- agreements; and thereupon, to begin by noticing them^ waiving, as superfluous, all discussion of whatever is admitted by both parties. But the opposite procedure is, I am convinced, that which most unites the wisdom of the Serpent with the harmlessness of the Dove. Besides being a more conciliatory course, it is also more efficacious, inas- much as it affords a common ground to stand on. For there cannot be any profitable discussion between parties who are not agreed in some thing. We cannot expect any one to admit our Conclusion who has not admitted our Premises. And we should remember, too, that falsehood can never gain assent except by being mixed up with some truth ; like a poison disguised in some wholesome substance. And as truth cannot of itself lead to error, but only to other truths which legitimately follow from it, the most effectual way of decomposing (to use a chemical expression) such a mixture, is, to ascertain first the true portion of it, and show that this has no necessary connexion with the falsehood with which it has been combined.^ And it may be remarked, in confirmation, that by far the greatest amount of conversion to reformed views that ever did occur, was produced not from ' This has been admirably set forth in a sermon by Mr. Salmon, delivered at my last Ordination, and since published. 30 THE CLAIMS OF TUUTII Avitliout — from some rival-church seeking to make proselytes — but from within an unreformed Church.^ Members of that, searched the Scriptures which it receives, and examined its tenets, till they had ascertained on what grounds, good or bad, each rested; and thus, by their own efforts, winnowed away the chaff from the wheat, and laid the results of their investigation before their brethren, mem- bers of the same Church. In further confirmation, it may be remarked that in teaching any branch of Science, we always begin with what is known to the learner and admitted; and lead him on from that to further and further de- ductions from it. This is, confessedly, the didactic procedure ; and when men can be brought into the frame of mind of learners^ seeking for true conclu- sions^ and not for arguments to maintain the posi- tion they have taken up, they are much more likely to embrace truth, than when placed in a hostile attitude to repel assailants, instead of listening to one who is (in the Apostle's language) " in meekness instructing them that oppose them- selves." Faults on our <2.) Lastly, I would suggest that it own side to be is a point of prudcncc as well as of fair- acknowledqed. . . . . i , i , , , • ness, to resist not only the temptation ' This by the way is one of the circumstances which may help to account for that remarkable phenomenon above noticed, the contrast between the early and the subsequent progress of the Reformation, AND OF UNITY. 31 to use, ourselves, any unfair argument, or false statement, but also the temptation to avail ourselves of any that may have been employed by others engaged in the same cause. And we should not be at all backward in exposing and repudiating any such fallacy, or any error into which those on our side may have fallen. There is, I know, in many minds, a strong dis- inclination to the latter part at least of this precept. It is both revolting to their feelings to risk paining those they would especially wish to gratify, and also it is alarming on prudential grounds, lest they should convert into opponents those with whom they have much in common, and whose co-operation they need. If what we point out as errors, or reject as unsound arguments, are such as the others do feel confident of being able fully to vindicate, their opinion of our judgment is so far lowered. And if on the contrary they feel a lurking sus- picion that they cannot offer a complete \'indi- cation, they may perhaps, for a time, be even the more displeased with any one who censures them. It was by this road, no doubt, that that principle gradually crept in to which I formerly alluded, — that of sacrificing everything to unity. The sacrifice Jirst demanded, in such cases, is, in general, not a great one. Men are led on, step by step, from silence as to some mistake, to connivance at fallacies, and thence, to suppression, and then to 32 THE CLAIMS OF TKUTII misrepresentation, of truth ; and, ultimately, to the support of known falsehood.^ And what adds strength to the temptation, is, the dread lest any admission of error, such as I have adverted to, should be, as it were, taken at ^ jyremium, and understood as implying much njore than is expressed. ^ J But be assured that, in the long- mutely adoan- run, a character for candour will be tageous. established by perseveringly deserving it, and Avill have, sooner or later, its due weight. ' It is scarcely necessary to say that I am not advocating what may be called the opposite extreme, — the too common practice of exaggerating differences, or setting down all who do not completely concur in all our views, as " infidels" — as " rationalists," — as alto- gether "heterodox," — as having renounced "Church-principles," — as being " in the Court of the Gentiles," or as " strangers to the truth as it is in Jesus," — not " knowing the Gospel" — excluded from the number of " God's People," &c. The right maxim is one that we may borrow from Shakspere: " Nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice." But it is worth remarking that what may be called the two opposite ex- tremes, in this mattei", are generally found together. For, it is the tendency of party-spirit to pardon any thing in those who heartily support the party, and nothing, in those who do not. And nowhere has this been more strikingly exemplified than in what may be reckoned the most gigantic Party that ever ex- isted,— the Romish Church. Towards its own members, as long as they are but submissive and devoted and zealous adherents of its system, it has usually been indulgent to an extreme, in point of moral requirements, and tolerant of whatever means are em- ployed in its cause; while it anathematizes without mercy even the most blameless Christians who venture to renounce its domi- nion, or even show any disposition to limit its power. AND OF UNITY. 33 You will, in time, be understood to be one who will never for the sake of advocating a cause you may have taken up, maintain anything of which you are not yourself thoroughly convinced; and to be pro- testing against what is false and wrong, not because it is held by an opponent, but because it is false and wrong. And to find by experience that this course is ultimately the most expedient, Avill be the reward of him who shall have pursued it not because it was perceived to be expedient, but from a genuine love of truth and fair-dealing, as what is most becoming a sincere Christian and an advocate of any good cause. D APPENDIX. (A), page 25. I SHALL not, I presume, be suspected of meaning to deny what I have so often and so earnestly set forth, that our Church is less efficiently organized than it might be, and ought to be ; especially, in its being destitute of any provision for the regular sujiply of any deficiencies, or introduction of any improvements, even if acknowledged such by the almost unanimous voice of its members. On this point I need not enlarge ; having treated of it in my Charge of last year, — in the Letter on the " Church and the Universities," and in several former Publications. But it is worth while to observe how zealously and effectually two opposite classes of persons are labouring, as if of set purjjose, for the defeat of their own respective objects. On tiie one hand, the greater part of those who maintain what they call " Church-principles," are eager advocates for Church- government, and yet take the very course which most tends to set men's minds against it. By meeting in self-constituted con- claves, which manifest a disposition to usurp such power as can only belong to a legitimate Government, — by taking such steps as plainly lead to schism, — and V)y favouring doctrines and practices at variance with those of a reformed Church, — they excite in the public mind such alarm, and such an aversion to the very idea of a Church-government, as is likely to prove the most effectual obstacle to the introduction of any. On the other hand, those who are i)erpetually complaining of such and such imj)erfections in our church, and dwelling on the great need of certain alterations, called for l)y the circumstances of the Age, — these, man}' of them, vehemently deprecate the wdy possible remedy that could be applied. Tiicy are fully ])ossessed with the idea that any kind of regulating power ai>|)licd to eccle- siastical matters must end in the establishment of a tyrannical hierarchy, with Romanizing tendencies. That this conviction is not well founded, I have repeatedly endeavoured to show, in the works above referred to. But those who do entertain it should be admonished at least to abstain from all complaints of the existing stale of things. It is indeed nothing unreasonable to complain of some defect, at the same time suggesting, or inviting others to suggest, an effectual remedy. n 2 3G APPENDIX (a). But highly unreasonable it surelj- is for any persons to complain of some inconvenience which they are convinced is without remedy ; and still more, when they themselves have resolved that no remedy shcdl be attempted. These ought to submit, and exhort others to submit, in patient silence ; even as to an un- favourable season, or an incurable disease, or any other uncon- trollable dispensation of Providence. And all should make uj) their minds, at least, while things do remain in their present state, to make the best of them, and to support and avail themselves of, in the best way they can, the actual organization which our Church does possess. In reference to this subject I have taken the liberty to extract some passages from a recent publication, the Charge of the Bishop of Norwich. " When the revival of Diocesan Synods was first mooted, and the experiment was made in one Diocese, I considered whether such a measure might not be the best for attaining the desired end. The conclusion at which I have arrived, however, is, that it would be unlikely to answer that, or any other practical good purpose, even were the movement exempt from some serious objections to which it is liable. Indeed, the general revival of these Synods would, I fear, endanger the very constitution of our Church, unless it were preceded or accompanied by, I will not say the revival of the functions of Convocation, but the establishment of some Body representing the Church's collective authority. With- out this, one Diocesan Synod may be at variance, in its decisions, with another, even on important points, and there would be no supreme Ecclesiastical authority to overrule the i)artial and con- flicting judgments of these segments of the Church, by the judgment of the Churcli itself. Granting, that in every separate Diocese, unity within itself may be thus obtained, it would be obtained at the hazard of destroying the unity of the Church. But, would a Diocesan Synod tend to diocesan unity? We may rather expect the reverse. Whilst many would concur in such a measure, many, too, would object to it, and protest against it. If the meetings were persevered in, the dissentients would be placed in the condition of a separatist Body; and, around the two sections of the Diocese would gather and grow more and more of the elements of disunion and discord, which, even as it is, distress and weaken us. Apart, too, from considerations of intrinsic unfitness and of danger in the general revival of Dio- cesan Synods, there is another consideration which ought not to be overlooked. The movement would most certainly disturb the Public mind with alarm, at what would be regarded as an attempt, on the part of the Clergy, to assume an undue and encroaching authority. Wide-spread mistrust and suspicion, which it would not be easy to allay, would attend our every act. It is a very APPENDIX (a). 37 different thing, to keep up the functions of such a Body, when made famihar to all by uninterrupted usage, and forced, as circumstances change, into gradual adaptation to that change ; and, to revive them, after they have long Iain in abeyance." ***** " As for a revival of Convocation, I, for one, do not desire it. That Body was never suited to the character and requirements of our Church. It is less suitable now than ever. It represents only the Church's Clergy. It may be doubted, too, whether so large a deliberative Assembly as would adequately represent the Church, or even the Church's Clergy, is the most appropriate for the discussion of some of the sacred topics which would, from time to time, claim the attention of an Ecclesiastical Legislature. But, is it, therefore, impossible, that by any adaptation to exist- ing circumstances, some form of Church Legislature should be devised, free at least from objections stronger than those which lie against our having none at all 1 " My object, my Keverend Brethren, in the remarks into which I have been led, is not to stimulate agitation on the subject. Due reflection on the main impediments which are in the way, must convince us, that agitation, even if it were becoming, is a course more likely to increase than to remove those impediments. It is our duty, and our wisdom as well as our duty, calmly and candidly to estimate the difficulties which must present them- selves to the advisers of the Crown, whenever such a measure may be mooted. We, recollect, are not merely the Church of the majority of the people, but, The Church of JEnglaml. Our Church forms part of the aggregate National Constitution. What effect may be produced on the Civil Legislature, and on the people at large, by calling into activity the legislative func- tions of the Church, is more than any one can venture to predict. We cannot wonder at any Minister shrinking from the respon- sibility ; and, we cannot reasonably expect that any Minister will undertake that responsibility, unless he sees some assurance of security in the tone of the Church's language and claims. We must be prepared to concede much. This is a necessity arising out of our being the Established Church. That position is, I am persuaded, most advantageous to the great interests of religion in this country ; but it is incompatible with the freedom of action which other religious Bodies are permitted to enjoy. Control and interference, on the part of the Civil Powers, to which tliey would not submit, we must acquiesce in, if we ever expect to have a Legislative Body with permission to exercise any functions at all." 38 APPENDIX (b). (B), page 28. In reference to this point I have thought it advisable to print here an extract from a letter to one of niy clergy, (and which he afterwards obtained permission to publish), who had consulted me respecting a controversial addi'ess, wliich neither of us had at that time seen, but which he expected to be (as he was) before long invited to sign : — " Every one, no doubt, who sets forth any truth, on whatever subjec t, may be said to be, virtually, an assailant of the contrary errors. But it makes a great difference whether this be done in a cmitrovermU form, or whether we proceed in conformity with the Apostolic admonition, ' the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, — in meekness instructhig those that oppose themselves.' " Let any one but reflect before he writes or speaks, what effect is likely to be produced on the minds of those he is addressing. I proceed on the assumption that he is fully convinced of the truth of what he maintains, and of the soundness of his arguments. But he should consider whether he is taking the best course for bringing men's minds into a _fit state for the reception of truth, and for dispassionately weujhincj arguments, or whether he is using a kind of language that will rouse their resentment, and incite them rather to consider what may be urged in reply, than to examine how far there may be reasons for changing their persuasion. " Let any one reflect how lie would feel if any one were to begin an address to himself by intimating that the Pastors from whom he has learnt his I'cligion are either knaves or fools, — that he himself, and his parents, and neighbours, are all of them fools for believing what they have been taught, and that all of them are in the road to perdition. Would not most men feel strongly tempted to reject at once with scorn and indignation one who so addressed them ? " But some one will perhaps say, — ' / indeed should feel scorn and indignation, because the charges would be false ; — because mine is the true religion ; but the persons I am addressing deserve these reproaches ; — tloeir religion is a system of error ; they ought therefore to submit with meekness, and to listen patiently to all that is urged against their religion.' " You may reply, — ' Your indignation is roused, not because }'our religion is true, but because you believe it true ; and you are yourself well aware that a man may firmly believe what is not true. If you assail with I'idicule or invective what he has been accustomed — however unreasonably — to hold sacred, will he not be too nmch shocked and disgusted to be in a fit state of mind to APPENDIX (b). 39 listen patiently to the arguments on both sides 1 Is a false religion so much superior to a trite one in teaching men to control their imssxons, that you can fairly expect from those in error such meekness under provocation as you do not find displayed by the advocates of trutii ?' " It is idle to say that if men will not listen to sound argu- ments, and voill hold out against the truth, it is t/ieir own fault. They are in fault, no doubt ; but this does not exculpate you, if you have set forth the truth in an offensive style. Remember that Paul, when exhorting his hearers not to put a stumbling- block in the way of weak brethren, by doing what might seduce them into idolatry, does not pronounce those weak brethren blameless ; on the contrarj', he speaks of the danger of their ' perishing but he will not allow tJieir fault to serve as an excuse for one whose reckless conduct has been the occasion of their fall. And his reasoning will equally ajiply to any one who should give needless oflence by his mode of combating his neigh- bour's errors; — who should 'strive,' instead of 'meekly instructing them that oppose themselves.' " A case came under my knowledge, quite accidentally, (and I am disposed to think it not a singular one, since it is not likely that the ojdy case of the kind should accidentcdly have been made known to me) of some Roman Catholics who consulted one of my Clergy in consequence of their having met with a book which treated of several points connected with their faith in a mild, friendly, and candid tone. It was the only book, they said, on such subjects, that they could ever endure to read ; all others they had ever met with being in a style of bitterness and scorn which had roused their indignation. The ultimate result was, that they are at this moment sincere members of our Church. " And yet the author of such a book as that which was maiuly instrumental, under God's blessing, in working that conversion, must make up his mind to be accounted lukewarm and indifferent, while he is exerting himself to set forth ' all the counsel of God j' — timid, while he is braving censure from (dl parties; — and not knowing the Gospel, and a stranger to ' the truth as it is in Jesus,' on account of his care to conform to the spirit of the Gospel, by ' speaking the truth in love.' " But some deceive themselves as to this point by the earnest- ness with which they protest that they arc anxious for the eternal welfare of those they address. They do not consider how they would feel if a Mahometan, professing (with great sincerity) a desire to save them by converting them to his faith, should begin by bitterly reviling the Apostle Paul, and all who teach that Jesus Christ was the 8on of God, and should denounce eternal perdition against their parents and all their most valued friends. They forget, that — as I have already said — the disgust this would 40 APPENDIX (c). excite is not because Paul really is a true Apostle, but because we are fully convinced of it. '■' It was not in a style of angry anil reproacliful declamation that the Apostles began their addresses to the Jews and Pro- selytes at Antioch of Pisidia, and to the Heathen at Athens. Yet they were justified in using a much more authoritative tone than would become us who do not display sensible miracles as the ' signs of an Apostle.' " Manj', however, are misled by their admiration of what is called a powerful discourse ; forgetting that that is the most powerful which best effects the object iiroposed. If indeed you write for the purpose of gaining applause from your own party, the discourse which gains the most applause is of course the most powerful. But if it be your object to convince any one who before thought differently, how can that be powerful which fails of convincing them % or which, for every convert it makes, disgusts and repels three or four who might have been reclaimed? — like some violent medicine which perhaps effects a few notable cures, but kills many more than it saves. The power of a sample of gunpowder, or of a piece of ordnance, is tested, not by the loudness of the report, but by the depth of the impression made on the target." (C), page 28. It is, for instance, a principle most would agree on, that it is not allowable to employ either bribery or intimidation, or any promise or threat, of temporal benefit or loss, as an inducement to any one to adopt or profess our views of religion. But we have need to be sedulously on the watch, in the application of this principle, against l)eiug seduced into something that may amount to an evasion of it. Any alleged instances of the kind I have always carefully investigated; and I shall ever hold myself ready to discounten- ance to the utmost the resort to any such means in the cause of truth. But the charges of this kind that have been brought, are vague and general ; and the authors of them, when called on to specify eases, and to adduce proofs, have hithei'to failed to do so. And I have ascertained, that, on the contrary, many of those who have lately joined our Church have been in consequence exposed to great hardships from being turned out of the employ- ments by which they were gaining their bread, and, not seldom, assailed with personal violence. From such treatment it surely is perfectly fair to protect those who are really sufferers for conscience sake, even though they should be conscientiously embracing a religion we might think erroneous. APPENDIX (c). 41 Towards such au object, therefore, I felt no hesitation in giving aid, and in inviting the aid of others. For, every one must see how widely different this is from holdmg out any temporal iidvcmtages, or the prospect of any, as an inducement to persons either to profess our religion, or to receive — themselves or their children — instruciiou in its doctrines. If food for the hungry, or employment for those out of work (but not turned out of work, after, and in consequence of, their conversion), or secular education not othei'wise procurable, for their children, or any other temporal benefits, are offered, on condition of accepting religious instruction from us, to those who do not seek it of their own free will, we cannot complain if we are charged with resort- ing to unfair means ; — means, I may add, which, in the end, will, I am persuaded, not advance the cause of truth. But if we employ only argument and persuasion, and that, to such only as voluntarily listen to us, we are surely justified in endeavouring to protect those who follow the dictates of an unbiassed conscience, from being, for conscience sake, exposed to persecution, or doomed to starvation. I subjoin a statement put forth by the Society which has been established for this object. SOCIETY FOR PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF CONSCIENCE. " The Committee of the Society for Protecting the Rights of Conscience, having had the experience acquired by a steady course of action since December, 1850, feel constrained to come before the public in a more prominent manner than they con- sidered themselves warranted in doing at the commencement of their proceedings. They are now in a situation to prove that persecution for conscience sake is not confined to a few localities or a few individuals ; but that, in a variety of districts remote from each other, a bitter spirit of persecution is at work; often exhibited in personal ill treatment, though generally by exclusive dealing, and a total exclusion from all the ordinary means of earning subsistence; and that such conduct has been in many cases openly recommended, by persons from whom lessons of peace and good will towards men might be justly expected. " The Committee recognize it as the right and duty of all men, to endeavour to persuade others to adopt their views of trutli ; but they protest against any attempt to attain such an object by violence or persecution. They have received from various dis- tricts most painful accounts of the perishing state of men, women, and their children ; who, in obedience to the dictates of conscience, in matters which they consider essential to their salvation, have felt impelled to separate themselves from the communion of a church which tliey believe to be corrupt. " The Committee wish it to be distinctly understood, that the 42 APPENDIX (c). Society does not seek to 'mfluetice any one in exercising the rights of conscience, but simply to protect hini from 2)ersemtion for doing so. A.s a Conimittec, they feel it to be tlieir duty to keep themselves distinct from the various societies and indivi- duals who are engaged in the work of education and instruction; for, as was well observed by one of their correspondents, ' The societies engaged in giving the bread of everlasting life, cannot in any way relieve temporal distress.' " The Committee feel the importance of guarding against every thing that can have even the appearance of offering a temptation to any person, to profess opinions which he docs not really hold; and they are always careful to impress upon the minds of their correspondents to whom grants of money arc made, that no part of the fund entrusted to them is on apy account to be given except as jxiyment for work done: that it should in no case exceed the rate established in their respective neighbourhoods for similar work ; and should only be given to persons who have taken a decided stand for conscience sake ; and have for some considerable time given satisfactory evidence of the sincerity of their profession, by patient endurance of persecution, and con- tinuauce in well-doing." Any information which may he required respecting the Society and its operations may be obtained on application to the Rev. Cadwallader Wolseley, the honorary secretary, 133, Stephens Green, Dublin. All the business of this Society is transacted by the honorary officers. Contributions will be received as follows : — Office of the Irish Society, Sackville-strect, Piccadilly, London. Hank of Messrs. Williams, Deacon, and Co., London. „ Guriicy and Co., Norwich. „ Mortlock and Son, Cambridge. „ Wakefield, Crewdson, and Co., Kendal. Manchester and Salford Bank, by P. M. James, Esq. THE END. CONVERSIONS AND PERSECUraDN'S A CHARGE DELIVERED AT THE TRIENNIAL VISITATION OF THE PROVINCE OF DUBLIN IN THE YEAR 1853. BY / RICHARD WHATELY, D.D. ARCSBISHOP OF DUBLIN. LONDON: JOHN W. PARKER AND SON, WEST STRAND. DUBLIN: HODGES AND SMITH, GRAFTON STREET. MDCCCLIII. I I I I I ! I .1 I I i CONTENTS. PAGE Struggle between the Churches 5 Dangers from within ....---9 Persecution and Toleration - - - - - -10 Test of Tolerant Principle - - - - - - 12 Results of Intolerant Principle - - - - - 14 Sympathy with Sufferers for Conscience-sake - - - 16 Pretended Persecution - - - - - - -16 Rights of Conscience - - - - - - -18 Civil Right and Moral Right 20 Alleged Bribery - -------22 Different kinds of Persecution - - - - - 23 Trials to be Endured 25 Allowable Protection ..-.---27 Points Disputed among Christians - - - - - 28 Caution against Disorderly Proceedings - - - - 29 Irish-speaking Districts -------32 Caution against Violent Language - - - - - 33 Appendix. Note A. — Works on Evidences - - - - „ B. — Extracts from the Writings of Converts to Romanism - - - - - - 37 J, C. — Civil Disabilities on Religious Grounds - 41 CONVERSIONS & PERSECUTIONS. TT has not been my general custom, Reverend Brethren, on such occasions as the present, to dwell much on those topics which are equally suit- able for all times, and for all places, — as, for in- stance, on the great doctrines of our religion, the importance of our Office, and the necessity of dili- gence and of discretion in the exercise of it. On all such points you must have, long since, often and seriously reflected; and if I could think you had not, I could not hope that anything I could uow say would impress them on your minds. * It is more suitable to an occasion like this, to lay before you any remarks that may have occurred to me, relative to whatever circumstances may be at all peculiar, and characteristic of the time and place in which we find ourselves. § 1 . Now, if any one were asked Struggle be- what it is that characterizes the present ^J^'^'* , i Vhurches. time, relatively to religious concerns, he would hardly fail to answer, that it is the strug- gle, which is now going on, with more than usual vehemence, between our Church and that of Rome. 6 STKUGGLE BETWEEN THE CHURCHES. The conversions to Romanism, of late years, especially in England, though a very insignificant number, compared with the whole mass of the population, yet have far exceeded anything that can be remembered by the present generation, or by the preceding. And the number of recent conversions to our Church, in this island, is very much greater still.* It has often been remarked, that these latter have taken place chiefly among the humbler classes of society; and that, on the other hand, the seces- sions to the Church of Rome have been chiefly among the Gentry and the Clergy. And a stranger might be disposed, at the first glance, to consider this as forming a presumption, that education and intelligence are favourable to the cause of Rome, and that comparative ignorance and scanty intellec - tual culture, predispose men to the reception of Protestant views. But, on closer inquiry, he would find that those of the educated classes who have embraced Romanism, have done so, for the most part, by their own admission, not from investigation of evidence, and on grounds of rational conviction, but by deliberately giving themselves up to the guidance of feeling and imagination. Argumenta- tive powers, indeed, and learning, several of them * It is'supposed that a still larger number of natives of this island, who have emigrated to America as Roman-catholics, have joined various Protestant communions there. STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE CHURCHES. 7 possess in a high degree ; but these advantages they think themselves bound to lay aside, and to dispa- ^ rage, in all that pertains to religion. Though well qualified, by nature and education, to weigh evi- dence, they decry all appeal to evidence, either for the truth of Christianity generally, or of any par- ticular doctrines,* and place the virtue of faith in a ready reception of what a man is told, and which is | congenial to his own sentiments, without any more " reason for the hope that is in him," than the Pagans have for their belief. They are led, and consider it right to be led, by a craving for the beautiful, the touching, the splendid, and the pictu- j resque. They deliberately prefer what will afford * the most scope for the exercise of their feelings, and the gratification of fancy, and they have joined thQ Church which best supplies what they desire. I am not, you will observe, casting any imputa- tion on the sincerity of their belief of what they profess. The question is not as to the reality of ^ their conviction, but as to the grounds of it. Of course, when a man has once resolved, through the operation of any kind of bias, to adopt a certain ' system, he will be likely, afterwards, to seek for plausible arguments to justify, both to others and j to himself, the course taken ; and may, perhaps, end by believing, and making others believe, that these { arguments were the cause of his decision, when, in j * See Appendix A. ; I 8 STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE CHURCHES. truth, they are rather the effect of it. And though it is not allowable to impute to any one, without proof, such a bias, even when there may be reason to suspect it, — on the other hand, when any one ac- knowledges himself to have been thus biassed, there can be nothing rash or unfair in attributing his de- cision to that cause. All the deference, therefore, which might be due to any one's learning or intelligence, must evidently be cast aside, when he is confessedly making his re- ligious faith a matter of mere feeling and taste. All his superiority of reasoning-powers goes for nothing, in a case where he has repudiated the use of reason ; even as the most clear-sighted and the most dim-sighted are on a level, when both are led blind- fold. The humblest peasants, therefore, who have set themselves seriously to inquire not for what is the most acceptable to their taste, but for what is true, and who have carefully examined and reflected, ac- cording to the best of the powers God has given them, — these are evidently bearing far stronger tes- timony in favour of the faith they adopt, than even ten times as many of the most intelligent and best- informed of the human race, who shall have resolved to abstain from all rational inquiry, and all careful reflection, and to give themselves up to the guidance of their feelings. And that I have been giving no untrue or even exaggerated description of the state of mind of at DANGEKS FEOM WITHIN. 9 least a very large proportion of the persons in ques- tion, any one who doubts may convince himself, by an inspection of their publications; from which I might have given copious extracts, in confirmation of what has been said.* § 2. As for the prospect now before Bangers from us, in reference to the struggle I have been alluding to, whatever may be any one's calcu- lations, hopes, or fears, respecting the future, almost all, I conceive, are now agreed as to one point, whereon much difference of opinion prevailed two or three years ago ; that the great alarm then ex- cited, on account of the mere unauthorized assump- tion of titles^ was very much misdirected ; and that whatever real dangers threatened the Protestant cause, were not to be guarded against by legislative enactments, such as that on which, two years ago, such a vast amount of time and labour was ex- pended. You will probably remember my expres- sion, at that time, of a conviction, that the law whose enactment had cost so much, would most likely be seldom or never enforced, and would effect no object, that could not have been effected as well, and far better, by a royal Proclamation. And you will also, perhaps, remember how much censure — a censure I was fully prepared to expect — was incurred by those who ventured to take such a view ; though now, there are very few, if any, who are not fully convinced of its soundness. * See Appendix B. 10 PERSECUTION AND TOLERATION. And not only is it true — and a truth now gene- rally admitted — that it is not to legislative measures we are to look for the protection of our ftiith, — but this also is important to be perceived, and to be con- stantly kept in mind, that it is rather from within than from without that danger is to be apprehended. As the great Reformation itself originally sprung up within the very bosom of the Church of Rome, and was not the work of missionaries from some other church, so, the reaction which has in some in- stances led men back to the principles and practices asfainst which the Reformers revolted, was not effected by the efforts of emissaries from Rome, but arose from the tendencies of human nature — those tendencies which originally produced in the Greek, and Roman, and Armenian Churches, one by one, those departures from primitive purity of doctrine and worship with which they are chargeable. It is for us, therefore, to keep in mind both portions, and not least the latter portion, of the Apostle Paul's warning to the Elders of Miletus and Ephesus, whom he entreats to " take heed to themselves," inasmuch as he foresees that, " after his departure," not only will " grievous wolves enter in, not sparing the flock," but also of your ownselves," says he, "will men arise, speaking perverse [perverted] things, to draw away [the] disciples after them." § 3. As for external force — in the and tolera- form, at least, of persecution by the Secular Power — from this trial we of PERSECUTION AND TOLERATION. 11 this realm are exempt. How it will be endured, and what elFects will result from it, in some of the continental nations, remains to be seen. The opinion to which I am myself the most in- clined is, that persecution, where it stops short of total extermination^ is seldom successful in its ob- ject. It is like the sun, which, in our Lord's pa- rable of the Sower, -when it " waxed hot, withered up" the seed that had fallen on a rock, and which " had no depth of earth," but destroyed not that " on the good ground." The careless and the weak- minded, having, as He expresses it, "no root, will in time of temptation fall away." But the most sincerely earnest-minded will not only themselves bear up against temporal afflictions, but, by the for- titude they exhibit, will be likely to produce an effect on others. Such fortitude will generally — as we see in the early history of Christianity and in the early history of the Reformation — first excite attention, afterwards sympathy, and perhaps admi- ration, and ultimately emulation, in those around. ^ The sympathy felt in this country for the suf- ferers for conscience sake, lately, in Italy, was also felt, we may be sure, by multitudes of their own countrymen; including, probably, many who had not adopted the same faith.* I should be glad to think that all, whether Italians * I know as a fact, that petitions in favour of these sufferers were signed by several Roman-catholics. 12 TEST OF TOLERANT PRINCIPLE. or British, who did feel this sympathy, were actu- ated by a genuine abhorrence of the principle of intolerance in itself, and of everything partaking of that character. Rut of this we cannot in any case feel assured merely by the sympathy manifested (however sincere, and strong, and practically active) towards those who are suffering for what we consi- der a true faith. For every one knows that the most intolerant bigots cry out against all coercive measures directed against themselves, or those who agree with them. The cruel treatment, a few years since, by the Russians, of some Roman-catholics in Poland, was doubtless reprobated by those (among others) who have since been parties to a similar treatment of Protestants. And we can hardly ven- ture to feel certain that some of those who eagerly expressed their sympathy with these last, may not have been ready to advocate penal laws, or civil disabilities and Protestant political " ascendancy," and, in short, the reducing of a portion of their countrymen, on religious grounds, to a state of helotism. Testoftole- That a pure faith ought to be tole- rant principle, p^tcd and protected, and its profession and propagation left unrestrained by law, is what all would admit. The test of a man's principle is, whether he is willing to extend the same toleration to what he regards as an erroneous faith — whether he reprobates penal laws, or any legal provisions that are at all of that character, employed for the TEST OF TOLERANT PRINCIPLE. 13 repression of what he considers a false religion. For, as there is no religion whose votaries would approve of persecution directed against themselves, so, a disposition to intolerance is far from being pe- culiar to the Church of Rome, or from deriving its origin from that. It has been found among Pagans, Mahometans, and Christians; among members of the Greek Church, and Armenians, and Roman- catholics, and Protestants. And though toleration is far better understood and practised now than formerly, there are to be found, even at the present day, Protestants who even refuse to call persecution by its name, when employed on their own side. I have seen it maintained, for instance, in a work which enjoyed considerable repute a very few years ago, that, " though the magistrate who restrains and coerces or punishes those that attack and seek to overthrow a false religion, opposes himself to God, and is a persecutor, the magistrate, on the other hand, who restrains, coerces, or punishes those who aim at overthrowing a true religion, and substituting an erroneous one, obeys the command of God^ and is not a persecutor.''^ Now no one can doubt that this principle would be readily admitted and adopted by every persecutor throughout the world, since every magistrate will of course maintain that his is the true religion, and that which he opposes a false one. It would evidently be vain for us to tell any one of them that his faith is wrong, and that he is bound first to embrace the right religion, and then employ 14 RESULTS OF INTOLERANT PRINCIPLE. the civil sword to " restrain, coerce, and punish" those opposed to it. He would, of course, reply that this is what he has already done — that it is he who is in the right, and that ours is the erroneous faith, and that, consequently, on our own principle, he " obeys the command of God, and is not a perse- cutor," in employing his power against it. „ ,^ ^. §4. The doctrine in question there- Jxesults of in- ^ ^ tolerant prin- forc manifestly tends, as far as it is adopted, to make the world one great battle-field of mutual bloody persecution. And it tends also to destroy all rational grounds for believing Christianity to have come from God, and has accordingly contributed, probably in no small degree, to the rejection of it, which in some persons we have to lament. For they see that Jesus and his Apostles did evidently mean to be under- stood as disclaiming all design of leading or leaving their followers hereafter, when they should become strong enough, to " coerce and punish" by secular force all opponents of their religion, or to monopo- lize by law all civil rights and privileges. And if, in this disclaimer, they were insincere, and really did secretly entertain such designs as they openly disavowed, they must have been hypocritical and crafty impostors, and not messengers from the God of truth. It is for this reason, among others, that I have so often and so earnestly dwelt on the subject, and have been content to undergo the strong censures RESULTS OF INTOLERANT PRINCIPLE. 15 of those who take an opposite view. For tliey na- turally regard as indifferent to Christianity, or even as hostile to it, all who reprobate the employment of coercion, or of the infliction of civil disabilities in the cause. But I have felt bound to dwell on the point as one which will be found, in proportion as any one reflects attentively, and reasons correctly, to involve the whole question of the truth of Christianity.* Since, however, these conclusions are not per- ceived by all, and since the doctrine I have been alluding to is not universally repudiated among Protestants, it were to be wished that all who really do reject it would come forward with honest bold- ness, whenever occasion offers, to protest, generally, against all persecution — I mean, against what is usually understood by the word, and what they would reasonably account persecution, if exercised towards themselves. It is true, they must expect in so doing to incur ill-will from many (among others) of those who profess the utmost detestation of persecution — that is, of persecution on one side. They will be stigmatized as inconsistent, eccentric, fanciful, latitudinarian ; besides many still harsher epithets. But their " heart will condemn them not, nor He who is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things." And they will also secure, ultimately, the approbation of all who really understand and adopt the true spirit of the Gospel. * See Appendix, Note C. 16 SUFFERERS FOR CONSCIENCE' SAKE. § 5. In behalf, therefore, of any per- with sufferers sons whom we may consider as suiierers for Conscience' in the cause of truth, we should express sake. a twofold sjanpathy; a sympathy not merely with the rectitude of their faith, but also with suffering for conscience' sake generally, whether the religion in question be correct or erroneous. I have heard it remarked as a reply to what I have been saying, that it is natural for us to feel and to express more sympathy for our own co- religionists when exposed to persecution, than for those who differ from us. This is perfectly true; and with equal truth it might be said that it is " natural" to Man to be more solicitous about his own welfare than about his neighbour's, and to resent more a wrong done to himself or his friends than to a stranger. But this very circumstance should be regarded as a reason, not for indulging, but for taking the more care to moderate, such self- partiality. Whatever duty men are naturally the most likely to overlook should be, on that account, the most sedulously enforced ; even as the judicious agriculturist gives his care to the irrigation of a dry upland, and to the draining of a marsh. Our Lord accordingly exhorts his disciples to " love their enemies," not because it is more natural to love ene- mies than friends, but for the very opposite reason. Pretended § 6. In Speaking of the duty of ab- persecuiion. staining from and protesting against whatever we should reasonably account persecution PRETENDED PERSECUTION. 17 if directed against ourselves, I added the word " reasonably^'' because one may sometimes find men making such complaints as they would consider utterly 2^72reasonable and groundless if coming from another, and representing themselves as persecuted whenever they are restrained from wronging their neighbour. For instance, some agitators have of late been earnestly endeavouring to raise a general clamour as against some persecuting design, on account of the proposal to subject to official in- spection any institution in which it is a possible thing that persons may be wrongfully confined and secreted. Bitter complaints were made of the cruel and unfounded charges brought, especially by my- self, against Roman-catholic Convents ; and the declaimers probably trusted to their readers and hearers taking all this for granted, and remaining ignorant of the fact that I had never brought any charge at all against any institution Avhatever, or against any religious communion ; but had merely pointed out that every institution — Protestant or Roman Catholic — in which it is possible for a })er son to be secretly imprisoned, must naturally be open to suspicions, well or ill-founded, which can be effectually cleared up only by investigation and publicity; such publicity as would be most wel- come to those who are conscious of no wronsr, and whose blamelessness it would of course be most desirable to establish. But those who deprecate investigation, and who B 18 RIGHTS OF CONSCIENCE. moreover complain of being slandered when nothing has been alleged against them, and fabricate charges which were never brought, they it is — as will sooner or later be generally understood — who raise an unfavourable presumption against themselves. For, according to the just French proverb, " to ex- cuse yourself is to accuse yourself." He who steps forward to complain of, and to reply to, accusations imagined by himself, will generally be understood to imply that there is some ground for such accu- sations. I for my part proceeded on the principle which I have always endeavoured to conform to, of doing as I would be done by. I wish every in- stitution with which I am connected — whether a college, a school, an hospital, an asylum for female orphans (such as that in Dublin), or whatever else, to be open to such inspection as to prevent, as far as possible, either the actual existence of abuses within it, or again, the prevalence of siny groundless suspicion of abuse in the public mind. I call for no supervision^ no restraint^ and no protection but what shall be extended to all alike, of whatever religious denomination. Rights of § 7. And this leads me to advert Conscience. again to the Society to which I invited attention in my last charge — that for protecting the " Rights of Conscience." The object of the society, as a society (I cannot of course answer for the private sentiments of* each member or contri- RIGHTS OF CONSCIENCE. 19 butor) is to mitigate the distresses of those who are suffering temporal loss and privation purely for conscience-sake. It is not as a Protestant, or as a convert, that any one receives aid from the society, nor even as a Protestant-convert in distressed cir- cumstances, but as an industrious and well-con- ducted man who has been excluded from employ- ment, and left to starvation, merely on religious grounds. And I myself will be ready (I cannot of course answer for others) to aid ant/ such person whatever might be the religion he felt bound in conscience to embrace. True it is that the persons whose distressed condition did lead to the formation of the society were, in point of fact, converts to our Church, and I know not at present of any others who are ex- posed to the like trial. •! know of no one who is now suffering persecution from the members of our Church, for having conscientiously separated from it. If I did know of such a case, I should be far more grieved than at persecutions on the opposite side ; and should hasten to take measures for reliev- ing our Church from such a reproach. But as it is, the persons who actually need protection are Protestant-converts. The society however holds out no bounty on conversions. On the contrary we wish to prevent any one from obtaining or expect- ing any temporal advantage from embracing our faith, except what may arise from his own improved habits of frugality, industry, and temperance. B 2 20 CIVIL RIGHT AND MORAL RIGHT. And it was with a view to guard as far as was possible against any expectations, or suspicions of this kind that the title of the society was — most deliberately and advisedly— fixed on. It is indeed quite right, and highly important, that societies should exist whose object is to impart i-eligious truth. In fact our Church is itself such a society. But too nmch care cannot be taken to keep every such society quite distinct from any which affords pecuniary relief, lest an appeal to worldly motives should be introduced, or should even be with any reason suspected; and lest we should be supposed to maintain the rights of conscience then only when the faith adopted is our own. Now there is a great number of persons of various persuasions, both Protestants and Roman Catholics, who profess — many of them, we may hope, sincerely — to be ad- vocates for religious liberty, and to hold that no man who is honest and peaceable ought to be punished or molested for serving God according to his conscientious conviction, even though others may think it an erroneous conviction. And these, however they may deprecate conversions from what they regard as a true faith, cannot feel, or at least cannot acknowledge that they feel, any objection to the protecting of the rights of con- science. But you may meet with some per- Civil right • , n and moral sons iiot Sufficiently accustomed to ^'i'^''- accuracy of thought and language, CIVIL RIGHT AND MORAL RIGHT. 21 who confound together civil rights with moral rectitude; and who, when you speak of a man's right to adhere to his own religious convic- tion, will understand you to be putting truth and error on the same level, and teaching that all reli- gions are equally right, and equally acceptable in God's sight. But we do not mean that every man's religion is right; only that his neigh- bours have no right to molest him for it. We do not maintain such an absurdity as that whatever a man has a right to do he is therefore necessarily right in doing. And you may point out to such persons as I have been alluding to, that Parliament, for instance, has an undoubted right to pass or to reject any Bill ; though it would be absurd to say that they would be equally right whichever they might do, and that to enact or not to enact a law is a matter of indifference. Indeed it is evident that if on the one hand this rvere a matter of indif- ference, or if on the other hand the right of decid- ing were not allowed, in either case a Parliament would be utterly useless. Again, the law gives each elector a right to vote for whichever candidate he may prefer. But to infer that all the electors possessing this legal right are, therefore, equally right in their judgment^ whether they vote for this candidate or for that, would be to say, that it is a matter of indifference who is elected. And you may add, that when our T>ord rebuked 22 ALLEGED BRIBERY. his disciples for wishing to call down fire from Heaven on the Samaritan village which had refused to receive him, it was not his meaning that their rejection of Him was justifiable in God's sight; on the contrary, He declared, that it would be " more tolerable for Sodom in the Day of Judgment" than for those who rejected his Apostles. But He meant that the infliction of temporal penalties on misbelievers is contrary to the spirit of his religion. Alleged § 8. As for the employment of bribery. bribery to obtain proselytes, I publicly stated, as you will remember, more than a year ago, that if, in spite of the most diligent precau- tions, any such cases had occurred, none such had come to our knowledge, or had been specified and proved by those who have put forth vague general accusations. And from all that has occurred since, I am enabled to repeat that statement now; and to repeat it as one that has received additional confir- mation. When, in a friendly manner, I applied, a good while ago, to a gentleman of my acquaintance, who had thro^vn out such charges, to specify any cases that had come to his knowledge, in order that I might take steps to put a stop to such practices, the only instance he produced of alleged bribery was one which had occurred sixteen years before the famine began ! And every day that passes adds to the presumption that those who continue to bring DIFFERENT KINDS OF PERSECUTION. 23 forward such charges without giving, when invited to do so, any proof of them, have in reality no proof to give. And this presumption is still further strengthened by their representing me (in various speeches and publications) as having myself accused the clergy of such practices, and rebuked them for their con- duct. That this is totally without foundation is well known, indeed, to those who have read what I published on the subject. But this probably never did fall in the way of those to whom such mis-state- ments were addressed. In proportion, however, as the truth becomes known, all persons will learn to distrust altogether those who put forward such audaciously groundless assertions. All sincere and truly upright Roman Catholics, on the other hand, as they have always given me credit for deprecating any attempt to obtain pro- selytes, or pretended proselytes, by unfair means, so they would, if they really believed that any pro- fessed converts were won over by bribery, rather rejoice to rid their Church (as I should willingly rid mine) of such insincere and mercenary cha- racters. § 9. Persecution — including under Different that name every sort of annoyance, loss, ^*"^^f. ^■^P^^'' •' J T ^ secution. or inconvenience, which a man may suffer from others on account of his religion — may be divided into three kinds. 1. Violence done or threatened to person or property. 2. Harassing dis- 24 DIFFERENT KINDS OF rEllSECUTION. putations, troviblesome remonstrances and solicita- tions, abuse, derision, curses, and denunciations of divine wrath, and all annoyances of that descrip- tion, so far as there is no offence committed that the law can reach. And 3. Non-intercourse, and privation of employment. It is only against this last that the society in question professes to provide succour. As for assaults, robbery, or, in short, any kind of injury against which legal protection and legal remedies are provided, of these we take no cogni- zance, but leave men to seek for themselves that protection and those remedies. And with respect to the second head, men should be instructed and exhorted to fortify them- selves, through divine help, against trials of that kind. Arguments should be met by arguments, and slander by purity of life; reproaches and re- vilings should be met by gentle and patient firm- ness; and curses, or threats of perdition uttered by man, should be met by confident faith in the power and goodness of God. These trials are what our divine Master has seen fit that his People should often be exposed to, and should be required to endure in his cause, in order to show how far they are heartily devoted to Him. And he has declared, that " whosoever shall be ashamed of Him and of his Word, in an evil generation, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He cometh in his glory." TRIALS TO BE ENDURED. 25 § 10. From these trials, then, we Trials to be cannot effectually protect men. Nor would it be right to attempt holding out what may be called countervailing temporal motives to induce a man to support them. It would not be right, for instance, to counterbalance by pecuniary reward the dread of reproaches and derision, so as to induce any one for the sake of gain to profess openly what we are convinced is his real belief, but which he would otherwise shrink from avowing when it would expose him to those reproaches. Nor, again, would it be right to resort to anything that is at all of the character of compulsion, to induce men to take the course which we have reason to think they would really prefer if left to their own unbiassed choice, but from which they are deterred by threats, and the fear of displeasing those amongst whom they live. It is vain to say — though it may often, no doubt, be said with truth — that such and such persons would really be themselves inwardly glad of the application of some kind of compulsion, such as might furnish them with a plea by which to mitigate reproaches, and to excuse themselves to some one of whom they stand in awe, by urging that they were obliged to do so and so; which, in fact, they were inwardly willing to do. It may be alleged, indeed, and often, in a certain sense, with truth, that such and such a person is not com- pletely a free agent, and that he would do this or that if left to himself, but that he is under some 26 TRIALS TO BE ENDURED. influence Avhich leads him to act against his own unbiassed judgment. But it is not allowable for others to interfere in such a case, except by reason- ing and persuasion. It is, indeed, allowable when the authority he submits to is usurped, to seek to convince him of this. We may urge him to despise threats which we are well assured are empty, and to stand firm against undeserved ridicule or censure, and to throw off all undue influence. But this is all that is allowable. It is only when illegal physical force is employed to restrain a man, that we may resort to forcible means for his rescue. If there is any influence which he chuses to submit to (however reluctantly) we must allow him to act according to that his clioice, though convinced that it is not his unbiassed choice. To do otherwise, and to resort to coercion to induce any one to do what we conceive his unbiassed judgment would prefer, would be to introduce a most unwarrantable and dangerous principle, and one whose application might be carried to an indefinite extent, and fill the world with disorder. In fact it is, most em- phatically, the rebel's plea. For in most cases of rebellion the insurgents profess great loyalty to- wards the sovereign, and a desire only to deliver him from evil counsellors, who induce him to act against his better judgment. And such is, also, the usual plea of the Invader. For when any country is attacked by a foreign army — as Spain, for instance, twice within the present ALLOWABLE PROTECTION. 27 century, and Rome very recently — it is generally professed to be a step taken for the good of the in- vaded people, to rescue them not only from a bad government and faulty institutions, but from such as they would themselves, if left to themselves, dis- approve. And the invader professes merely a desire to put doAvn those bad advisers who incite them to take arms against their deliverers. With respect, then, to persecutions (if they are to be called such) of the class I have now been speaking of, we can properly and fairly interfere only by remonstrance to the one party, and by ex- hortation and encouragement to the other, and by offering sound instruction to both. But when men are punished for fol- Allowable lowing the dictates of their conscience, protection. by refusing them employment, though honest and industrious, and by abstaining from all dealings with them ; and when it is attempted thus to com- pel them to abandon their religion in order to avoid starvation, this is a hardship from which, as no law can give relief, so they may, and surely ought to be, relieved by individuals, or a voluntary combina- tion of individuals. It is a case which cannot, I think, be regarded with indifference by any one who has any feelings of humanity, any sense of justice, or any conscientious convictions of his own. And I earnestly call, therefore, on all sincere Christians to use their best endeavours to make known and to advocate the claims of a Society so benevolent and 28 POINTS DISPUTED AMONG CHRISTIANS. SO pious in the object it proposes, and so pure and blameless in the means it employs.* Voints dis- § 11. It may be worth while ou this puted among Qccasion to advert, in conclusion, to Cliristians. _ _ ^ ' some cautions which are important to be remembered by all who may be engaged, now or hereafter, in giving instruction to those brought up in a different persuasion, or in anything that is at all of the character of controversial discussion. (1.) In the first place, we should be on our guard against giving too great prominence to points disputed among Christians, and bestoAving too little attention on some matters of high importance, but which are not at the moment a subject of controversy. I would not be understood to imply that this caution has been recently in practice disregarded. But it is evident that, from the very nature of con- troversy, it must always tend to draw a dispropor- tionate attention to the points about which the con- * Any information respecting the Society may be obtained by application to the Rev. C. Wolseley, Merton, Sandford, near Dublin. Contributions will be received as follows :— William Hogan, Esq., Treasurer, Haddington-terrace, Kings- town. The Office of the Irish Society, Sackville-street, Piccadilly, London. The Rev. Thomas M. Moeran, Washington-street, Liverpool. The Rev. G. W. Grogan, Lower Close, Norwich. The Bank of Taylor and Lloyds, Birmingham. „ Gurney and Co., Norwich. „ Mortlock and Son, Cambridge. „ Wakefield, Crewdson, and Co., Kendal. „ Manchester and Salford, by P. M. James, Esq. DISORDERLY PROCEEDINGS. 29 troversy lies ; and that, accordingly, there will be a danger of that result, unless especial care be taken to guard against it. And the history of almost every controversy that has ever existed goes to con- firm this expectation. Indeed, I have myself, before now, met with persons who were well acquainted with the arguments on both sides, on the chief points of difference between our Church and that of Rome, but extremely deficient in every other portion of religious knowledge. § 12. (2.) Another caution that I Caution would suggest IS, to guard against bemg orderly pro- parties to or countenancing any such ceedings. irregular and disorderly proceedings, in the efforts to enlighten those of another Church, as may tend ultimately in various ways to weaken our o^vn cause. If, for instance, some such plan should be adopted as we have heard rumours of — that of sending forth from England a host of Missionaries, of Churchmen and Dissenters intermixed — appointed (I may say ordained^ since that is what it virtually amounts to) by a self-constituted Association, without any refer- ence to the existing Authorities of our Church — without any security for their soundness of doc- trine, or their discretion, or their acquaintance with the language of a large portion of our population — without any profession of being attached to our Church, or even not hostile to it — and without any responsibility ex(X'pt to the Body which thus ap- 30 DISORDERLY PROCEEDINGS. points them — if such a scheme should be set on foot, I am convinced that any countenance given to it by any of us, would involve a danger (besides others) of favouring the charge brought against us, of internal disunion and indifference to our own Church. Far indeed should we be from feeling any resent- ful jealousy, or offering any opposition, if Protes- tants of any other religious communion — even in many points opposed to us— chuse to come forward to advocate principles common to us and them. But this they can do even more effectually by act- ing independently, and without any formal compact with us ; especially such a compact as would imply a disregard on our part of the constituted Authori- ties of our own Church. That Protestants are not agreed among themselves is indeed what is perpe- tually urged by Roman Catholics. But this evil is not at all lessened (as some might on a hasty view suppose) ; but, on the contrary, is much aggravated by any such Alliance of Protestants of different de- nominations as may be formed independently of the Governors, and in defiance of the Rules, of their own respective communities, and which must thus tend to engender fresh divisions within each. Without being so bigoted to any particular form of Church -government as to insist that no other is permitted by Scripture, one who is an actual mem- ber of a certain Church, may consistently, and must, if he act on Scripture-principles, show a dutiful DISORDERLY PROCEEDINGS. 31 reverence for the regulations and constituted Autho- rities of that Church to which he does belong. I am convinced, therefore, that those of you who take this view are bound not only to act on it, each one for himself, but also to agree together to sup- port each other in refusing to countenance any such irregular proceedings. As for the Clergy of my own Diocese, they have, long since, received an admonition, which no one will disregard who has due reverence for the oath he has taken, not to admit into their pulpits (except in case of a sudden and unavoidable emergency) any stranger, -without my permission ; a permission which, I need hardly say, has never been refused, except on such grounds as every one would acknow- ledge to be reasonable.* * The following I have on perfectly good authority, which I am able to produce: A person, professing to be a Protestant clergyman, a convert from Romanism, presented himself, not many months ago, to the magistrates of Rotterdam, applying for the requisite licence to give lectures on some theological subject. On close inquiry, he was found to be a disguised Jesuit, having authority from his Superior to play the part he did. He was detected through the inquiries of the Rev. Professor Reville, who found that, though professing to have been admitted by some Englinh Bishops into the communion of our Church, he was unable to produce testimonials from them. In fact, he had presented himself to the Bishop of London, who had detected tlie imposture. Should he, and others of a similar description, think fit to attempt introducing themselves among the host of missionaries who may be undertaking " to evangelise Ireland," they will pro- bably proceed more warily. 32 IRISH-SPEAKING DISTRICTS. Irish-speak- § 13. (3.) Another suggestion inr, distncts. ^^y^-^^ j ^^^j^ ^^^^^^ ^^.^^ reference to those Irish-speaking districts in which the clergy are, unhappily, ignorant of the language of a great portion of their parishioners. To every conscien- tious minister so circumstanced this must be a mat- ter of deep regret. And he will not fail to endeavour to supply the deficiency by securing the services of a curate, or, at least, of a catechist, I'eader, parochial visitor, or assistant of some kind, who does possess a knowledge of the popular language. But in such a case double care should be taken that a person who must be so fully trusted should be fully worthy of confidence, since else he might do incalculable mischief, and bring lasting discredit on our reli- gion. And I would earnestly exhort at least the younger clergy, as many of them as are appointed, or are at all likely to be appointed, to such a Cure, to strive to qualify themselves to address, and freely to converse with, their parishioners, in the language with which these are familiar. T am happy to say that in each successive pro- vincial Visitation I have observed a progressive im- provement in this point — a point on which, from the very first I have always dwelt with so much earnestness. It is much more rarely now than for- merly that I hear the excuse offered that " all the Protestants (perhaps four or five per cent, of the population) understand English;" forgetting that CAUTION AGAINST VIOLENT LANGUAGE. 33 the rest have never had any opportunity — nor per- haps their forefathers — of receiving any Protestant instruction that they could understand. I trust that before long this heavy reproach to our Church will have been completely wiped away. . 6 14. (4.) I cannot conclude with- Laution . . against violent out again adverting to the caution I language. havc more than once given before, against being betrayed into the employment of any intemperate, bitter, or scornful language towards those we consider as in error. I advert to this, not as having to complain of the fault as now pre- valent among the advocates of our faith, but chiefly because there has been of late so much of peculiarly violent language from some of those on the opposite side, that the utmost care is needed to guard ourselves, not only against being dismayed, and discouraged, but also against being provoked into anything like retaliatory violence. It is for us to conform to the apostolic precepts — "not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing ; but, contrariwise, blessing" [1 Pet. iii. 9] : and " in nothing terrified by our adversaries; which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to us, of salvation." But I really have observed, and, of course, with great satisfaction, that an improvement in this respect has taken place — that the tone of Protestant con- troversialists is generally more moderate and dis- creet now than some years ago. Not that there were not always a good many — and those among 34 CAUTION AGAINST VIOLENT LANGUAGE. the soundest and the most zealous Protestants — who Avere " gentle unto all men, in meekness in- structing them that oppose themselves." But I think that this rule is now more generally under- stood and acted on than formerly. Still, we must expect that there always will be some who will indulge in angry declamation, and the language of insolent scorn. And these you may expect to find vilifying as lukewarm or as timorous any one of you whose tone is courteous and modest, and to hold him up to contempt and reprobation no less than their avowed opponents. It may be, too, that you will find that some others, and perhaps a far greater number, who in their hearts utterly disapprove of all this violent invective, will shrink from all public declaration of their disapprobation, lest they should themselves be thus denounced. Through selfish timidity they will perhaps content themselves with expressing privately to intimate friends their sense of the in- justice done to you, and of the damage our common faith suffers from such intemperate declaimers ; who thus attract, by the openness and publicity of their proceedings, an undue degree of notice, and are often reckoned as more numerous than they really are, because those of different sentiments have not enough of generous boldness to step forward and declare them. But those who are thus assailed by their brethren, may derive, in one respect, even a satis- CAUTION AGAINST VIOLENT LANGUAGE. 35 faction from that very circumstance. It most effec- tually disconnects them from those whose intem- perate conduct is likely to injure any cause they are engaged in. Deeply indeed is it to be lamented when a good cause does suffer damage (far beyond what opponents can inflict) from the unwise or violent conduct of any of its advocates. But as you are bound to diminish as far as possible that damage, by disavowing all participation in sucli conduct and all approbation of it, so, this disavowal will come with double force if you are yourselves reprobated or insulted by the very same parties. This will show more effectually than anything said by yourselves, that you and the cause you are en- gaged in are not chargeable with the faults of its intemperate advocates. And thus those very faults may become, under an over-ruling Providence, the means of remedying some part of the evils tliey produce. Let not any one, then, while pursuing the course of christian duty, allow himself to be either provoked or discouraged by unmerited reproach and opposition ; but while remembering who it was that sent forth His followers " as sheep among wolves," charging them to be " wise as serpents and harm- less as doves," let him remember also that He, that same Divine Master vouchsafed before long to blef s with success the labours- of those followers, and to grant, through peaceful and seemingly feeble in- struments, a glorious victory to his holy cause. c 2 A I> P E N D I X. (A), page 7. Works on Evidences. I AM sorry to say that tlie system of deprecating any resort to Evidences, and placing the virtue of faith in a blind and unin- quiring acquiescence, finds advocates among professed Protestants. A passage (by way of specimen), from the British Critic, the organ of the Tract party, and one from the Edinburgh Review, belonging to quite a different school, I have more than once re- printed in parallel columns with a passage from an avowed infidel writer, Hume, with which they strikingly agree, and with some from the New Testament, with which they exhibit a striking con- trast. They were last reprinted in No. 11 of the Cautions fw tlie Times. And several more extracts from other writers might have been added. As for the Church of Rome, it has been, I find, publicly de- clared by high Authorities in that Church that, to distinguish the virtue of Faith from blind credulity, and to place it in " proving all things, and holding fast that which is right" — in being candidly open to conviction, and prepared to embrace heartily whatever there is good ground to believe comes from God, is a doctrine at variance with the fundamental principles of the Church of Rome. To dispute this, would perhaps be presumptuous in a Protestant. But certain it is that all this was far from being admitted a few years ago. On the contrary, the late Roman-Catholic Archbishop Mwrray deliberately sanctioned, for the use of schools, after careful examination, the very book against which the above censure has been fulminated. And moreover the late Pope, to whom it was transmitted, had it read to him into Italian, and found it unob- jectionable. Nay, during the reign of the present Pope, it has been translated into Italian by a Roman-catholic priest at Florence, with the sanction of his Diocesan. How this discrepancy is to be explained I know not. It should seem that (as I remarked in my last Charge) those who are ready to sacrifice eoery thing for unity, fail, after all, to obtain even a semblance of it. APPENDIX (a). 37 If it be true that the fundamental principles of the Church of Rome have changed within a few years, and that now those who profess to be governed by a successor of the Apostle Peter, set at nought his exhortation to be " always ready to give a reason of the hope that is in us," we may well exclaim " Oh ancient House, how hast thou changed masters !"* However, a majority of the Education-Commissioners have felt themselves bound to conform to this new decree, by prohibit- ing a book which had received the unanimous sanction of the Board, and had been in use for about fifteen years in the National Schools. Others of the books have also been denounced ; and it is to be presumed will soon share the same fate. I for my part pointed out that the Commissioners were bound in honour to retain books which have been so sanctioned, inasmuch as it was indisputably on this understaiiding that many persons have been invited and induced to establish schools in connexion with the Board ; and that no one, whether advocate or opponent, whether approving or disapproving of the books, ever thought of such a thing as their being withdrawn. Indeed if any opponent had ever ventured to say in Parliament, — " This is all a delusion ; we are wasting time in discussing the merits of books which may very likely be erased from the list next week ; they are only a bait to attract the over-trustful, and bring them to place schools under the Board ; and as soon as the deception has answered its purpose, they will be withdrawn — no one can doubt that such an imputation would have been re2)eUed with incliynation and disgust. So great therefore, and, in my view, so unjustifiable an inno- vation having been commenced, I could not but see that the sys- tem which has flourished for upwards of twenty-one years, has been in fact abandoned ; and I have been accordingly compelled to consider myself dismissed. (B), page 9. Extracts from the Writings of Converts to Romanisrn. " So long," says the Rev. Frederick Oakely, " as the Church of England impressed my own conscience, in spite of her many anomalies, as an adequate object of loyalty and affection, I not only clung to her, but gave myself up to her, vnthout examining * " 0 (lomus antiqua, heu quiini dispari dominate domino !" — Cic. de Ojff. 38 APPENDIX (b). tJie question ofJm- hintorical claims upoa my mceptaiice. And so now, vntlwut knowing definitely how Home makes out her j/reten- sions from the history of jjost ayes (a most interesting question nevertheless, and one which I am delighted to think is so soon to receive elucidation), / hoio myself befoi'e her, because she plainly corresponds with the type of the Catholic Church, which is deeply and hahitxially impressed ujjon my w/tole moral and spiritual nature." — Letter on Suhmhting to the Catholic Church, p. 318. And, again, " I find absolutely nothing in the system of the Anglican Church to correspond with these instincts of which, nevertheless, I am conscious ; on the contrary, everything to disappoint and repel them I am as sure as I can be sure of anything, that the thought of a Christian bishop ought to elicit a train of reverent and affectionate emotions Now I am actually, and have long been, conscious of feelings which, in such an object of devoted loyalty and affection, would find their adequate and ordy correlative. To the best of my belief, these feelings would, in the Roman Communion, be allowed their free range and proper satisfaction." " It is not," says Mr. Ward, " that she [the Catholic Church] has called on her children to receive her doctriyies because they are satisfied of her authority. She has never allowed them to examine her authority any more than her doctrines. ' Put away from you doubt' has been her language, ' put away from you doubt, as being sinful : believe what you learn, and act on it : you will sufficiently prove to yourselves both the truth of what I say, and of my authority for saying it, by mecms of believing and acting.' .... The very same princijde has been at work throughout, in that remarkable movement within our own Church, of which so much has been said When the eyes of Eng- lish Churchmen were opened, by God's grace, some twelve years ago, to discern the fearful precipice towards which religious oj)inion was hastening among us, they altogether escJiewed the idle and ridiculous child's play of excmnining between rival doctrines by means ofj)atristic and scholastic studies. Had siKh been their course, our Church might have been finally ruined, while they were sitting at home and making up their mind. No ! they saw at once that authority was the element which was wanting, and they stepped forward as advocates for authority. There was a recognised and standard principle of authoi"ity in the English APPENDIX (b). 39 Church ; to that they appealed, — on that, as on a firm basis, they took their stand, — on that they planted the lever which, so they hoped, might disturb, overthrow, revolutionise the system then dominant in the Church. To this the Anglican view of doctrine, they at once summoned others ; this view they accepted tJwmselves with undoubting confidence. ; well knowing that the mere carrying it into effect would sufficiently ensure its being borne onwards into its full proportions, should it really want consistency; or crumbling from its own rottenness, should it be really untenable. True it is that the language of many among them was ratlier of free inquirers into the Fathers, than of upholders of the principle of faith ; but this is only one out of innumerable instances in every age, where serious and holy men act rightly, and defend their acts wrongly. And whoever will at the present day carefully peruse Mr. Newman's work on the Projihetical Office .... will see that lie based his adherence to Anglicanism on those princii^les of Faith, which he has so prominently witnessed. " And what has been the result of this most pious and religious procedure? .... The principles which have been, throughout, the centre rallying point and spring of the exertions that have been made, — these have so fruitfully expanded and germinated in the mind of many that had embraced them, that we find, oh ! most joyful, most wonderful, most unexpected sight ! ive find the vjhole cycle of Roman doctrine (jraduallij possessing numiers of English Churchmen." — Ideal, pp. 363 — 365. Elsewhere lie quotes with approbation, from Newman's Uni- versity Sermons, p. 40, the following passage : " A truth is implied all through Scripture, us a basis on which its doctrine rests — viz., that there is no necessary connexion between the intellectual and moral principles of our nature : that on religious subjects im rtuiy jyrove anything or overthroio anytldng, and, can arrive at tlie truth hut accidentally, if we merely investigate by what is called reason ; which is, in such matters, but the instru- ment at best, in the hands oftlie legitimate jvdge, spiritiud discern- jtient. " This " spiritual discernment" Mr. Ward calls " con- science;" and of "conscience" he gives the following account; all parts of which I do not profess very clearly to understand, but the general result of it seems to be that " conscience" (in this sense) describes certain feelings of blind deference to authority, veneration, and spiritual taste. " Conscience, viewed in tlic 40 APPENDIX (b). abstract, has uo power of discovering more than the immutable principles of morality. But in proportion as it is pure and well- disciplined, it discriminates and appropriates moral and religious truth of whatever kind, and disposes the mind to listen to this external message rather than to that : while each new truth thus brought before it from without, in proportion as it is deeply received and made the subject of religious action and contempla- tion, elicits a deep and hitherto unknown harmony from within, which is the full warrant and sufficient evidence of that truth. Viewed then in the concrete, as found in the devout believer, we may regard conscience and /aith to be one and the same faculty : considered as submissively bending before external authority and ever deriving more of doctrinal truth, we call it faith; considered as carefully obeying the precepts of which it has knowledge, and as laboriously realizing and assimilating the truths of which it has possession, we call it conscience. And thus we see in part the reasonableness of unquestioning belief; for, on the one hand, it is by this very act of firm belief, that we are able really to grasp a moral opinion, and derive from it the full treasure of truth with which it is charged ; while, on the other hand, our preservative against real error, is not the balancing of evidence, but the witness of a good conscience. The external opinion may be in greater or less degree erroneous ; but the inward belief, the impression which we derive from it in our innermost heart, in our Spiritual nature (so only our conscience be pure) may be inadequate indeed, but so far as it goes, is true and sound." — Ideal, pp. 512, 513. I will add an extract from Mr. Newman's Lectures on Justifica- tion, which I find in Mr, Ward's book : — " The Apostles then pro- ceeded thus : tJiey did not rest tJieir cause on argument; they did not appeal to eloquence, wisdom, or reputation; nay, nor did they make miracles necessary to the enforcement of their claims. They did not resolve faith into sight or reason; they contrasted it with both, and bade their hearers believe, sometimes in spite, sometimes in default, and sometimes in aid, of sight and reason. They exhorted them to make trial of the Gospel, since they would find their account in so doing, &c., for faith, as a principle of know- ledge, cannot be analyzed or made intelligible to man, but is the secret, inexplicable, spontaneous movement of the mind (however arising) towards the external word, — a movement not to the exclusion of sight and reason, for the miracles appeal to both, nor APPENDIX (c). 41 of experience, .... but independent of sight or reason be/ore, or of experience after." Many more extracts might be given both from those who already have, and those who have not yet joined the Church of Rome, but these are surely suflBcient. (C), page 15. Civil Disabilities on Religious Grounds. It was on these grounds, and not on political calculations, or for the sake of gaining the favour of any class of persons, that I always have advocated the removal of civil disabilities from those of every religious persuasion. If a monopoly, established by law, of civil rights in favour of Christians, as sufh, or of members of any particular Church, does not, as far as it extends, go to make Christ's kingdom a kingdom of this world, I do not understand what can. When a bill for removing Jewish disabilities was brought in this session (having, I believe, for the fourth time passed the House of Commons), I was again compelled to explain my views on the subject, because they differ so much from those not only of the opponents, but of many of the advocates, of the bill. The eulogies and apologies on the one side, and the various arguments on the other, against the propriety of a Jew's sitting in Parliament, are equally and entirely irrelevant to the question that was before my own mind ; which is, not whether a Jew is or is not a fit person, or the fittest person, to have a seat in the House ; but whether the electors should be left to decide for themselves in each particular case, or ought to be left under a virtual, (though accidental,) restriction in their choice, by retaining certain words in an oath which all admit were never designed to have that effect ; the oath being meant as a profession not of orthodoxy but of loyalty. To the arguments which I used on the late, and on several former occasions, I have never heard even the least attempt at an answer. All that has been said and written on the subject — in some instances with much ingenuity — has reference to a different question from that which I was considering. And ac- cordingly, the more numerous and the more able are the advo- cates of the restriction in question, the more I am confirmed in my own view ; on the ground, that if the reasons on which it is 42 APPENDIX (c). based would admit of refutation, they would surely have received one before now. And indeed this seems to be now admitted on both sides. For when, on the last occasion, I once more urged that if to remove Jewish disabilities must unchristianize the Legislature, it must equally nx\protestantize the Legislature to remove Roman- catholic disabilities ; and \xachurch the Legislature to make Dis- senters admissible — that if the one implied indifference to Chris- tia7dty, the other must equally imply indifference to our own Protestant Church ; and that consequently, to be consistent, we must retrace our steps, and repeal all acts of toleration — when this was urged, it was distinctly admitted on the opposite side that such was a perfectly clear logical conclusion. But it was contended that in religious questions all the deductions of reason ought to be disregarded, and that our decisions ought to be based not on arguments, but on feelings. And this, though not ex- pressly stated by all who voted on that side, seemed to be tacitly admitted by all ; since none of them came forward to disclaim such admission, and to offer proof that the conclusion did not follow.* Now this may be considered as a great step gained. For though any erroneous principle may prevail, and may be acted on for an indefinite time, as long as the reasoning on which it rests is supposed to be sound (even though the fallacy may have been clearly pointed out by a few), when once it comes to be gene- rally admitted that there are no rational grounds for it, not many years will elapse before it is abandoned. For a time, indeed, there will be many who will urge that " so and so is true in theory, but does not hold good in practice ;" but the number of these will gradually and steadily diminish, and before long men will sum- mon courage to act on what they have already admitted to be the conclusions of sound reasoning. When the fallacies on which was based what is called " The Commercial System," which had been acted on for Ages, were first exposed by Adam Smith and others, men clung for a time to the old system, in practice, even after its unsoundness had been acknowledged to have been proved. Habit, and aversion to trouble, and a vague dread of change, and the self-interest of a * It is observed by Ilobbes, that "When reason i« against a man, he will be against reason." APPENDIX (C.) 43 few individuals, contributed to prevent confessedly sound prin- ciples from being at once carried out. But when this confession has been geyierally made, a certain and not very remote practical triumph of such jjrinciples may be anticipated. I cannot doubt, therefore, that within a very few years at the utmost, an alteration of the law will be adopted, and that we shall no longer have to witness the painful spectacle of a disagreement between the two Houses of Parliament (and that continued in several successive Parliaments), on a point in which such an oppo- sition is the more strikingly unseemly, inasmuch it relates to the qualifications required of a member of the House of Commons for taking his seat ; of which accordingly that House may not un- reasonably claim to be a fair judge. And I trust that some better remedy will be provided for this e\'il than has hitherto been attempted ; that instead of a Bill for the relief of Jews — as if tlieir benefit alone were contemplated — a Bill will be passed for the rdief of electors, by removing all re- quisitions of a profession (which was in reality never designed) of a man's religious faith, and leaving the choice of the electors practically free, in a matter wherein it was never intended to fetter them. I myself, if consulted privately by any friend as to the disposal of his vote at an election, should advise him to give a preference not only to a professed Christiau, but to one whom he believed to be both a sincere Christian and a sound member of our Church. But to withdraw the matter from his own choice, and that in a case where it is not even pretended that any danger to the Public is to be guarded against, and where the very oath in question is known not to have been framed with any such design, does seem to me — besides the discredit it reflects on our religion (the con- sideration which, with me, far outweighs all others) to be an un- warrantable interference with freedom of election. THE END. LONDON : SATILL AND EDWARDS, PRINTBRS, 4, CHAND08 STREET. THOUGHTS ON CHRISTIAN MORAL-INSTRUCTION THE NECESSITY, AND THE MODE OF IMPARTING IT. A CHARGE, DELIVERED TO THE CLEEGY OF THE DIOCESES OF DUBLIN, GLANDALAGH, AND KILDARE, AT THE VISITATION, In June and July, 1854. y By RICHARD WHATELY, D.D. ARCHBISSOP OP DUBLIN. LONDON: JOHN W. PARKER AND SON, WEST STRAND. DUBLIN: HODGES AND SMITH, GRAFTON STREET. MDCCCUV. CONTENTS. Struggle between the Reformed and the TJnreformed Churches, § 1 5 Christian Moi-al-instruction, §2 10 Romish and Protestant views of Justification, § 3 . . , 13 Danger of Exaggerated Language, § 4 15 Supposed Merit of Good-Works, §5 19 Correct view of Moral Duty, § 6 22 Theory of those who deny a Moral-sense, § 7 24 Incautious language respecting human depravity, § 8 . . 29 Real meaning different from what is expressed, § 9 . . . 31 Scripture view of Moral-obedience, § 10 34 Origin and culture of the Moral-faculty, § 1 1 36 Works the fruit of Faith, in what sense, § 12 38 Society for Propagating the Gospel, § 1 3 41 Parochial- Visitors-Society, and Clergy-Widows-Society, § 14 43 A CHARGE, ETC. My Reverend Brethren, Although I have on seve- ral former occasions r.dverted to the /^2nlhe%e. struggle which for some time past formed and the has been going on mtn much more churches than ordinary ardor, between those who are supporting and endeavouring to extend the principles of our Reformation, and their oppo- nents, open and secret, you will be neither surprised, I trust, nor displeased, at my repeatedly returning to the subject; because not only is it one of great interest and importance, but there are moreover many different points connected with it ; each of which is well worthy of a separate and most atten- tive consideration. On one or two occasions accordingly, I called your attention to the questions concerning legisla- tive enactments in favour of our religion, — penal laws, — and all, whether aggressive or protective, interference of the Civil Power in that cause.' I have also adverted, on some late occasions, to some important changes in doctrine which appear ^ See Note A. at the end. 6 STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE REFORMED to have taken place in the Romish Church ; what was not merely tolerated, but deliberately sanctioned and recommended by the highest authorities in that Church, for above twenty years, being now denounced, by equally high authorities, as unsound and dangerous. Which of the two are the Aviser, in reference to the system of that Church, — whether it be favour- able or unfavourable to that system that any know- ledge of anything at all connected with religion, and not imbued -with exclusively Romish doctrine, should be diffused among the mass of the People — this is a question which I do not undertake to decide. It is one on which the late, and the present holders of the highest offices in the Church of Rome are completely at issue. And in my examination, lately, before a parliamentary Committee, I was unable to offer any explanation on this point." Of the course pursued by myself, I was enabled to give, I trust, a satisfactory account. For, what- ever doubts there may be as to what is expedient ' Though the evidence taken before this Committee is not yet published, a portion of it, consisting of important corre- spondence (more full than that in the Appendix to the " Ad- dress" I published last summer) has been printed by the order of the House of Lords, where it can now be had. Perhaps, however, the most decisive testimony is that of opponents. Not only in private whispers, but in published Periodicals, it has been represented that my removal from the Education- Board originated in my endeavouriug, contrary to the j^rincijile I have always adhered to, to compel children to read books of which their parents conscientiously disapproved. And in every AND THE UNREFORMED CHURCHES. or inexpedient with a view to the interests of the Church of Koine, or for any other object, I cannot see what doubt there can be as to the plain duty of a public servant employed for a certain specified purpose. As for undertaking the office of carry- ing on a well-knoAvn and long-established system, with a design to subvert it — misapplying public money, by employing it in a way difterent from the knoAVTi design with which the grant was made - — taking advantage of some subtle interpretation of the letter of a law, in order to defeat its known intention, — and breaking faith with the Public, by withdrawing rights secured by a virtual promise, fully understood as such by all parties, and on the strength of which, co-operation had been invited and obtained — how all this is to be reconciled with those principles of rectitude which we expect in all human transactions, I am as much as ever at a loss to understand. Another point to which I have more than once adverted, is the alleged employment of bribery, or oue of the most important points, statements equally contrary to fact liave been so boldly and so industriously circulated, that some whom I believe to be qiute incapable of wilful falsehood have been misled by them. For, the very audacity of an asser- tion will often, for a time, impose upon the Public ; it beuig thought inconceivable that any one should put forth mis- statements open to easy and speedy refutation. And in fact, hardly any one, however unscrupulous, would do so, except in a desperate cause, for wiiich nothing can be urged with truth. Such mis-statements therefore become, tiltimately, a strong testimony in favour of the party assailed by them. 8 STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE REFORMED some form of worldly inducement, for the winning of proselytes.' The authors of this accusation have, as I suppose you are well aware, proclaimed them- selves unworthy of credit, and regardless not only of truth, but even of the semblance of it, by repre- senting me as having imputed such conduct to the Clergy; when the very Address referred to, con- taining no hint of any such imputation, was actually before the Public, in print. True it is, I have often put forth earnest warn- ings against doing anything that might even raise a reasonable suspicion of a resort to unfair means. But I have no doubt that you also (and indeed all Christian Ministers, whether Roman Catholic, or Protestant, of every Denomination, ) are accustomed to warn your hearers, from time to time, of the various temptations they may be exposed to. And it is not usual to consider each Minister as imputing to the members of his Congregation, every fault against which he cautions them ; else, a most unfavorable conclusion will be drawn, either against him, or against them. When, however, I earnestly warn you to be scrupulously careful about the character of any Scripture readers or other Agents you may employ, and to watch and scrutinize their conduct after- wards, with the utmost vigilance, and to sift accu- 1 See an excellent Ai-ticle (the first) in the Irish Church Journal, for June, 1854. AND THE UNEEFORIMED CHURCHES. 9 rately every statement made respecting the progress of Gospel truth, and every religious profession, lest \ you should be imposed on by the fraudulent, or give ear to exaggerated representations, — when I earnestly warn you to be on your guard against such dangers, I shall perhaps be represented as ' imputing dishonesty to those you employ, and in- sincerity to the converts ; and, to you, rash credulity, or wilful misrepresentation. Again, on some other occasions, I have dwelt on the evil done, by the employment, in a good cause, of violent or contemptuous language ; as more likely : to irritate than to convince or persuade those in ; error. And in this point also, I was so far from imputing this fault (against which we cannot be too sedulously guarded) to Protestants of the present day, that I took occasion to remark on the improved tone which has of late years prevailed : though still there are some who do great damage to the cause even now, either by their own deficiency in christian courtesy and meekness, or by thought- lessly lending their countenance to others who use [ such intemperate language as they would never employ themselves. So prone is Human Nature to let a just abhorrence of gross and destructive corruptions of religion, degenerate into animosity against the persons who hold such errors, that we \ should not be content with merely ourselves ab- ' staining from offensive exj)ressions, but should also i protest against and discountenance all those who 10 CHRISTIAN MORAL-INSTRUCTION. in their language depart from the Apostles' admo- nition, not to " strive, but to be gentle unto all men, in meekness instructing them that oppose themselves." All these points, to which I have before now called your attention, and several others besides, thougli closely connected with the subject of con- versions to, and from, Romanism, are yet quite distinct from each other, and deserving each of a separate and attentive consideration. 6 2. In laying before you some re- Christian ' . morai-in- marks Oil the subject of moral teach- structwn. jj-,g^ both generally, and especially as given to Converts, I shall perhaps be exposed to the same misrepresentation as I have just noticed in reference to charges of bribery. I shall perhaps be represented as imputing to the recent converts, and to you, a neglect of moral duties. But if any one does but take care so to express himself as never to be misunderstood by weU-disposed and candid hearers, he need not be disquieted at any wilful misinterpretations. They will, before long, bring discredit not on him, but on their authors and propagators. That those who have recently joined our Church, have, as a general rule, exhibited a marked improve- ment in their moral conduct, I have reason to be fully convinced. But I would warn every one against being led by this, into a hasty security as to that point. For, you should remember that CHRISTIAN MORAL-INSTKUCTION. 11 those who have been among the first to dare to encounter obloquy, derision, privations, and often severe persecution, in embracing on deliberate conviction, what they regard as a true faith, will have been actually practising a very difficult virtue; and will therefore be such as may be expected to make the rest of their life of a piece with that beginning. The sacrifices already made by them will have both jjroved and fortified their virtue. But as persecution abates, and converts multiply, it may be expected that more and more persons will join their ranks, whose moral principles are less pure, or less firm. And moreover, the secondary motive (and though a secondary, it is a legitimate, and a very strong motive) of wishing to recommend the cause one has embraced, by marked correctness of conduct, and to dread bring- ing any discredit on it, — this is always found to operate the most strongly at the beginning^ and Avhen the cause is supported by but a small mitio- rity. In proportion as any cause becomes popular and strong, its adherents are apt to become more secure, and to relax their vigilance as to their OAvn and their companions' conduct. We may see instances of the operation of that secondary motive I have been speaking of, and of its subsequent relaxation, in the history of many Sects and Parties, including the most erroneous. For instance, that most extraordinary modern sect, the Mormonites, began b}' pretensions (among 12 CHRISTIAN MORAL-INSTRUCTION. other things) to a peculiarly strict morality. And it is certain, that, for a time, their conduct was, apparently at least, so conformable to these pretensions, as to have contributed not a little to the attracting of proselytes. It was not till after they had gained great strength, that they intro- duced and sanctioned that outrageous profligacy which had been by their original laws strictly for- bidden. And again, the moral code of the Koran, and the practice of Mahomet and his first adherents, became relaxed, as is well known, in proportion as their numbers and their strength increased. And that this is not a danger to which false reli- gions alone are liable, we have abundant proofs in Scripture. Even so early as the times of the Apostles, we find that many had begun to join the Christian ranks whose conduct was such as to bring discredit on their profession. We find, — besides many other earnest warnings to this effect — Paul speaking to Timothy of men " considering the pro- fession of Christianity as a source of profit.'" I would press then very strongly on all christian Instructors, and not least, on the instructors of recent Converts, — the Apostle's precept to Titus; (ch. iii. V. 8), " These things I will that thou affirm constantly," {i.e. "insist on earnestly;")" in order that they who have believed in God may be careful to maintain good works.^ ^ This is manifestly the sense of the original ; (1 Tim. vi. 5.) not "supposing that gain is godliness." ^ ?«a6«Sa«oD(75a< ^ (ppnt'Tii^wrri kuXwi' ipywv npotuTuirS^di. VIEWS OF JUSTIFICATION. 13 6. 3. And this caution is perhaps „ . , •' ^ , ^ Romish and even peculiarly needed when the ques- Protestant tion is between the Reformed and the '^^^^^ of Justi- fication. unreformed Churches ; because the chief difference between them many persons would describe by saying that the one teaches " Justifica- tion by Faith," and the other, " Justification by Works." And this description might be set forth in such a manner as to lead the one side to adopt, and the other to impute, the teaching of what the Apostle James calls a " dead faith," without good works. But the above description cannot be received as a correct one without considerable explanations and modifications. For (1) in the first place, the Romanist cannot be said to reject or to disparage Faith. He is taught to believe — and to hold it essen- tial to salvation to believe — (besides many import- ant doctrines held by our own Church also) much that to us appears mere human device. He has faith in the infallibility of the Church of Rome, — in the efficacy of prayers addressed to the Virgin and other Saints, — in the supposed sacrifice of the Mass, — in priestly Absolution, — and in many other things which Protestants reject. And more- over, many even of the good works by Avhich he seeks to obtain the divine favor, arc most em- phatically the fruit of faith — though to us it appears an utterly misplaced faitli — in his Church ; since they are such as are not dictated by any natural moral principle, but are practised solely 14 VIEWS OF JUSTIFICATION. on tlic ground of a supposed divine injunction or sanction : such as Pilgrimages, Penances, and various ceremonial observances, which no one would account naturally and intrinsically virtues, or could ever think of practising except through faith in a supposed divine injunction. On the other hand, the expression is not quite correct, that a Protestant looks for Justification hy faith. " Through faith," is the more exact lan- guage. And though the word "by" is used (doubtless through inadvertency) in the Xlth Article, the meaning of our Reformers is quite clear, not only from their language elsewhere, but from the original Latin of that very Article; Avhicli speaks of justification not ^'■propter fidem," but "j»er fidem." "Propter," they apply to the meritorious sacrifice of Christ; ["propter meri- tum"] which corresponds with the language of the Apostle — " By Grace are ye saved, through Faith."' In fact it is plain that if the believer were saved — strictly speaking, hy his faith — he would be as much himself his own saviour as if he Avere saved by his Avorks." But faith is, as some have justly 1 Eph. ii. 8. ° When our Lord said to the woman who had touclied the hem of his garment, and on other occasions, " Tliy faitli liath saved thee," He is only using a mode of expression such as we often use ourselves, when we would call attention to some distinguishing circumstance ; to which we attribute something DANGER OF EXAGGERATED LANGUAGE. 15 I expressed it, merely the hand with Avhich he lays hold of the free offer of divine mercy. And faith, such as our Reformers taught, must be both rightly directed — towards an object which we have good ground for relying on, and also, must be what they call a " lively" e. li\dng] faith, bringing forth good works as a necessary fruit.' § 4. All this is of course what you ^ Danger of ex- hold, and mean to inculcate: for I am agcjcnitedlan- not addressing myself to Antinomians : l)ut there is need of a caution against some indis- creet and exaggerated language into which well- intentioned persons are occasionally Ijetraj-ed, in their zeal against some particular error, and Avhich may lead weak-minded or thoughtless hearers into other and not less dangerous errors. To take one instance : you may have heard the expression "all our righteousness is as filthy rags" introduced as a condemnation of the error of a that has taken place, without meaning, or being understood to mean, that it is the real efficient cause, but merely the one circumstance out of many which makes the difference between the case before us, and others. For instance, we speak of some tender plant wluch has perished in the winter in comequence of its being left, uncovered; though wc know that the frost was the cause of its desti uction ; but we mention the circumstance which alone distinguished it from some other plants of the same kind. Even so, that woman was one among many who had equally the power to approach .lesus, and several of whom pro- bably had need of healing : but what di.stinguislied her from the rest, and through which she obtained relief, was her superior faith. 1 Art. 12. 16 DANGER OF EXAGGERATED LANGUAGE. man's claiming merit in God's sight for any good actions. But this is an utter misapplication of the words of the Prophet; who is speaking not disparagement of men who had been obedient to God's laws, but, on the contrary, of those he had been describing as most emphatically the reverse. "Behold," says he, "Thou art wroth, for we have sinned; we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities^ Wee the wind^ have taken us away, and there is none that calleth on thy name.'" His expression is only another way of sapng "we are quite des- titute of all righteousness," even as the same Prophet [Is. i.] describes a like condition by saying " thy silver is become dross." True it is indeed that it would be most absurd for any one — Jew or Gentile — to claim merit in the sight of his Maker for even a more perfectly righteous course of obedience than any man can pretend to have practised. But this is surely a truth which may be, and which ought to be, established and inculcated without resorting to a perversion of any passage of Scripture into a different sense from that of the inspired Writer. And any such misapplication (or, as some call it, "accommodation") of Scripture, besides that it is in itself a blameable presumption, is likely to Isaiah, Ixiv. 5 — 7. DANGER OF EXAGGERATED LANGUAGE. 17 damage the cause of truth, — to mislead those we are instructing, — and to give an advantage to opponents. These last may represent us as teach- ing— what after all is not true — that the " keeping of Christ's commandments," Avhich He has Himself declared to be the only proof of our "loving Him" — the " bringing forth of much fruit," by which He has said that "his Father is glorified"^ — that all this is regarded by Him as " filthy rags." And not only should no such interpretation of Paul or of James be given as shall set them in opposition (since no Church, as our XXth Article expresses it, " Ma;1y so interpret one part of Scrip- ture as to contradict another,")" but care should also be taken to point out how they are to be reconciled, in what they say of the justification of Abraham. For surely those who do represent the teaching of these two Apostles as at variance, must have a most confused and incorrect notion of both. James is manifestly speaking (Ch. ii.) ^ John XV. ^ Those commentators — for unhappily there are some few such — who interpret Eom. vii. 14 — 25 not, as a description, generally (which was doubtless the Apostle's meaning) of the condition of a man under the Law and not under the Gospel, but as a literal account of Paul's own actual state at the time, make this portion of Scripture contradict not only other parts, but even the very next passage in the same Epistle : Ch. viii. V. 1 — 13. For it is clearly impossible for the same man to be at the same time " sold under sin," — " brought into subjection to the law of sin," &c. and also " made free from the Jaw of sin," and " walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit." — (See Essays on the Dangers, &c. Essay i. § 4.) B 1 18 DANGER OF EXAGGERATED LANGUAGE. in disparagement of a faith consisting in mere ! assent of tlic understanding. " Thou believest," says he, "tliat there is one God: thou doest well: , the Demons' also believe and tremble." Now can | any one really suppose that the saving Faith in- j sisted on by Paul was this faith of Demons? Or , again, can it be believed that James, when speak- ' ing of good works, meant mere outward acts, ' without any reference to the inward motive— the 1 faith, from which they spring? And this too, ; when he expressly says, " I will show thee my \ faith by my Avorks?" ' If any one had suggested to this Apostle such an interpretation of his words, he might have refuted the error exactly in the way he does refute , the one he is opposing. He might have said, " It j is a good thing to proclaim Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God — to do so, is a good work: the Demons whom Jesus cast out, did this : they found themselves compelled to cry out, ' I know Thee who Thou art, the Holy One of God:' but this did not make them acceptable before God; for, works good in themselves, but not done from a ' good motive, are as much the works of Demons, as mere intellectual belief is the faith of Demons." j If anv one then should ask whether we are to ^ I be ]\isti^ed partly through Faith and partly through I ^ The word "devils" which occurs here and elsewhere in our ^ Version is a manifest mistranslation of Daimonia. The word Diabolos is never used in the plural number ; being the desig- nation of a single individual. j i I SUPPOSED MERIT OF GOOD-WORKS. 19 Works, you might reply that the question is as idle a one as if he should ask concerning a house that had been destroyed by fire, whether the conflagra- tion was to be attributed to the wood and other combustible substances within it, or to the fire- brand which fell on them, or partly to the one, and partly to the other. We all know that no quan- tity of combustibles could at all contribute to the breaking out of a fire, if no spark fell on them; and again, that a firebrand, if it fell on a stone pavement, would produce no eff'ect at all. And in like manner, in this case, neither a faith which does not show itself in obedience, nor again good works which do not spring from faith, can go one step towards recommending any one to God; but only as the Apostle expresses it, "faith which worketh by love.'" § 5. As for those who do need to be „ Supposed Me- warned against the error of imagining rit of Good- that a man can earn salvation for him- self by good works, and that these can establish a claim of merit before God, you will find these persons, I think, to fall under these three classes ; — (1.) Those who mean by "good works," not a life of what can be called christian virtue, but outward ceremonial observances, such as the Judaizers of old trusted to.= (2.) Secondly, such as are very far 1 Galat. V. 6. 2 Accordingly, in our Lord's Parable of the Pharisee and Publican, the {;ht, and things right because commanded — he completely does away. And I cannot but think that ordinary men will be likely, so far as they adopt his view, to fall into that error I have just been noticing — of looking in Scripture for precise directions as to each point of conduct, laid down as plainly as the directions, for instance, respecting the Passover, to the Israelites, or the institution of the sacraments, to Christians : and to consider themselves as bound by nothing but such express commands and prohi- bitions as they meet with. For one cannot expect that above one person in a hundred will follow out those subtle calculations by which Dr. Palcy 26 THEORY OF THOSE WHO DENY deduces all moral conduct from conformity to the divine will. And this conformity we are to aim at, according to him, Avith a view solely to our own eventual benefit. " The difference," he says, " and the only difference, between an act of prudence and an act of virtue is, that in the one case we consider what we shall gain or lose in the present life ; and in the other case, what we shall gain or lose in the next life." And then he goes on to say, very strangely, that those who have no knowledge, or no belief, of a future state, must frame the best theory of virtue they can for themselves ; unless they can show that virtue produces the greatest amount of happiness in this world. It is wonderful that so acute a writer should have failed to perceive that accord- ing to what he had just said, they could not possibly form any theory at all of Virtue as distinguished from Prudence; since if they did teach (as in fact the ancient Heathen Philosophers did) that what we call Virtue does conduce to happiness in this life, this would never have enabled them to draw a distinction between prudence and virtue, but would have made them identical. For it is evident that to remove the " difference, and the only difference" between any two things, is to make them pei-fectly alike. And he had just before said that the only difference between prudence and virtue depends on the distinction between the i)resent and a future life. A MORAL-SENSE. 27 His doctrine, therefore, is completely over- thrown by the Writings of the Heathen : not by any assumed correctness of their views, but by the very words they employ. For their using such words as " Virtus" and 'A/oettj, — their distinguish- ing between " Utile" and " Honestum," — between avn Z''""* , , icUhout. occasion again to remind you (and you B 2 20 DANGERS FROM WITHIN. will not wonder at my repeating the warning at a time like the present) that the dangers we have chiefly to guard against are not from without but from within ; and that it is not by secular penal- ties, or by any legislative measures, but by our own care to understand, and to maintain, and to inculcate, sound principles that we should seek protection against such dangers. A good many years ago, before any of those open secessions to the Church of Rome had oc- curred which have so greatly alarmed many per- sons, and before the publication had begun of those Tracts which contributed to those secessions, I perceived, and gave warning of, an impending danger from those tendencies of human nature by which the corruptions of the unreformed Churches were originally produced. And experience proved that though to many persons my warning was ad- dressed in vain, my apprehensions were far from vain. And it was not by the persuasions of any Romish emissaries — much less, in consequence of the re- moval of civil disabilities from Roman Catholics — that Romanist doctrines and practices made the advances they did make among many members of our Church; but by a spontaneous process gra- dually going on in their OAvn minds. Indeed, among those who have more or less openly adopted Romish views, are to be found many who had been the most vehement opponents of what was called CONVERSIONS TO ROMANISM, 21 " the emancipation ;" while those who had been all along the advocates of that emancipation have re- mained, with hardly an exception, the steady ad- herents and champions of Protestant principles. I have known it urged however on the opposite side, that a considerable ^"""^''^"'"^ ^ to and from number of conversions to Romanism jtomanism. have in fact taken place since the relief of the Roman Catholics from penal laws and civil disabilities ; whence it was inferred that the one must be attributed to the other. It was acknowledged that no connexion could be pointed out between the alteration of the laws, and those conversions. The argument was confessedly that of " post hoc ergo propter hoc :" the one must be regarded as the cause of the other, it was urged, simply because it preceded it. By this rule then, the conversions on the opposite side, in this country, which are about ten times more numerous, must be attributed to the same cause. But I am convinced that there does exist a con- nexion between the altered state of the law, and the altered state of our Church, at least with respect to places of worship. During the Avhole of the last century, when the penal laws were in force, great as was the increase of population only five new places of worship were opened in this Diocese ; and in the first half century after the abrogation of those laws, nearly sixty. But as for those who have gone over to the 22 DISINGENUOUS WEITERS. Romish Church, the process which took place with them seems to have been, not that they first gave in their adhesion to the Church of Rome, and there- upon felt bound to subscribe to all its doctrines ; but on the contrary, that having adopted, step by step, those doctrines, as many of them as were even tolerably clear-sighted, and at the same time had anything of honest consistency, perceived the necessity of following out their principles by sub- mitting to the Church whose system they had already embraced. In several instances probably, this Disingenuous coursc was hastened by some tracts course recom- , , i • i i t i i , , , and volumes which were published mended by i some writers. Several years ago,' whose object was to show how men might pursue an opposite course ; so as to quiet their conscience, and defend themselves against censure, while adopting Romish principles and yet professing to, be members of our Church, and holding preferment in it. This object was to be effected by a system of subterfuge and forced interpretation such as might make any- thing out of anything — such a system as might ^ The most remarkable of these, No. 90 of the Oxford Tracts fur the Times has been lately reprinted (with an Intro- duction and Notes) conformably with a permission annomiced in the earlier portion of the Series. It is a work which every one ought to possess who takes an interest in the important subject treated of. — See No. XIII. of the Cautions for the Times. ECCLESIASTICAL TITLES. 23 enable an infidel (and this it appears has actually occurred on the Continent) to hold a Professorship of Theology in a christian university. These pub- lications were likely, I conceive, to do good rather than harm; because the disingenuousness was — much of it, at least — too gross to mislead any upright man; and it was calculated to show those who had not before examined the matter carefully, their real situation. " Their eyes were opened and behold they were in the midst of Samaria;" and thereupon as many of them as were careful about consistency and truth made their election one way or the other, and abandoned either the Church or else the system which were so plainly incompatible with each other. On a later occasion than the one just alluded to, I came forward, as you will ^-^^i j^-fi^^ remember, in opposition to the prevail- ing feeling, at that time, among my countr3^men, to point out of how small consequence are empty Ecclesiastical Titles, when implying claims not already admitted by the persons concerned. The title, for instance, of " King of France," retained for ages by our Sovereigns, gave no uneasiness to the French people, and only exposed ourselves to ridicule, till it Avas, within our own memory, wisely dropped. And the last Stuart Prince, who, to the last, called himself King of England, excited so little of either fear or resentment, that he was actually in the enjoyment of a pension from our 24 DANGERS FROM DISUNION. own royal family. In like manner, if the people are not Romanists or inclined to be such, in a certain English or Irish city, the assumption by a Romish Bishop of a title from that city, will not make them so. And if they are^ from other causes, Romanists, the prohibition by law of that title, will never convert them to the Protestant faith. And in the present case also, as there is not, that I can see, any ground for special indignation at the arrogance of a claim which has been made for many ages by the Romish Church, to dictate Articles of Faith to all the world, so, neither is there any ground for alarm at the recent exercise of that claim, or any reason for our making a special pro- test against it. Such a Protest against the papal Decree would probably be as little regarded by Roman Catholics as the Decree itself is by Pro- testants. And the promulgation of that Decree is far from being likely either to confirm or to extend the poAver of the Roman See. Our Church is a tree which we may be assured will withstand all storms from without till it shall have become inwardly decayed and hollow. In saying that we should be on our Dangers from . disunion guard more agamst dangers irom withm than from without, you must under- stand me to be alluding not merely to the danger of the adoption of Romish doctrines or practices, but to everything that may tend to impair the efficient working of our Church, to lessen the respect felt for it, or to retard its progress. DANGERS FROM DISUNION. I I I 25 Disunion in various shapes creeping in among us, is one clanger — or rather one class of dangers — against which we must be constantly on our guard. Among other forms of this danger, one against which we should sedulously keep watch, is, what- ever may tend to impair the union between the English and the Irish portions of the Church. My zealous anxiety for the maintenance, intact, both of the political union of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the ecclesiastical union of the Churches of England and Ireland,' is no new feeling that has arisen in me since occupying my present position, but has always, from the time I was capable of forming an opinion, been the same as now. A few years ago I came forward, as you will remember, in conjunction with the Lord Primate and the other Irish Prelates, to protest against some language which had been employed — merely, I believe, through inadvertency — such as had the appearance of disowning the Ecclesiastical Union. And when, very lately, there seemed ground for apprehending something of a similar kind, I imme- diately proceeded to take the requisite steps for obviating the danger. And I am happy to say, ^ It may be worth mentioning, that T was lately represented, hy mistake, in a newsi)aper rei)ort, as having said at a public dinner, that I was a zealous advocate for the union of Church and Slate. But that subject I was not at all adverting to. I was speaking of the union of the English and Irish branches of the Church. 26 UNDESIGNED SCHISM. many English Bishops with whom I conversed on the subject, seemed to be duly impressed with the conviction that the safety and welfare of both branches of our Church, depends on the preser- vation of their union. In what relates to unity, and to regularity of action, we might sometimes take a profitable lesson from the Church of Rome itself. Far be it indeed from us to set the claims of unity above those of truth, — to prefer the Church to the Gospel, — or to pay such obedience to human authority as is due only to divine. Far be it from us to imitate the Church of Rome in any of its errors. But that there is a danger of a dread of those errors leading incautious Protestants into the opposite, and making them underrate the just claims of a Church, and introduce noxious irregularities, and discord, this is what a man of any sagacity would have conjectured as antecedently probable, and what abundant experience must have taught to any one capable of profitable observation. Undesigned Well-meaning and zealous but in- Schism. considerate persons, when perceiving or fancying that they perceive, some deficiencies or faults in our Institutions or in those who ad- minister them, are likely to be tempted, instead of taking steps for removing or mitigating those evils in a regular way, in conformity with the existing laws, and under subordination to the constituted Authorities, — to set themselves at once to provide UNDESIGNED SCHISM. 27 remedies by their own self-assumed authority, in such a way as must tend to subvert our Institu- tions altogether; since the same liberty and power which one set of men take to themselves, others, of perhaps widely-ditFerent principles, will equally claim and seize upon ; and the result must be in- terminable and hopeless confusion. There never probably was a large army in which some of the soldiers were not — at least in their own opinion and that of some comrades, — better qualified for command than some of the actual officers; and some of the inferior officers better qualified than the general. And if thereupon they were to hold themselves authorized to band themselves into self- constituted regiments, and to elect for themselves officers who were to act each according to his own discretion, it is plain that instead of a well-organized army, we should soon see a rabble of disorderly Guerilla-parties; to the great advantage of the common enemy. Now instances sometimes occur of a correspond- ing procedure in matters pertaining to religion. I have known some well-intentioned but rash and unthinking persons form themselves into a self- constituted Church, and elect a Synod for its government, to whom was intrusted the office of framing a creed to be subscribed, and (after due examination) of ordaining preachers, to go forth and instruct the ignorant and convert infidels, heretics, and irreligious persons of all descriptions ; 28 NAMES APT TO MISLEAD. and all this Avas done by persons most of them professing (I believe with no insincere design) full adherence and submission to our Church, and utterly unconscious that they were at all violating its regulations; though our Twenty-third Article distinctly declares that " 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 laicfully 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 autho- rity given to them in the congregation to call and send ministers into the Lord's vineyard." Which Article, by the way, is one that might be agreed to, and which is in fact virtually acted on, by almost every religious community in existence. But what concealed from the per- sons alluded to the real character oi names. what they were doing, Avas their em- ployment of different names from those commonly used to denote the same things. They did not call themselves a Church.^ but a Society; their Creed went under the name of a " confession," and of " points of Faith :" their appointed governors they did not call Bishops., or a " Synod" or " Convocation," but a " Committee ;" their ministers were not said to be ordained such, but selected and " appointed ;" and they were called not Preachers, but Mission- aries; and so, of the rest. And 1 have known some persons to be so com- NAMES APT TO MISLEAD. 29 pletely blinded by this difference of names, as to have failed to perceive any essential distinction between such a Society as I have been speaking of, and others of quite another character; such as for instance, the Church-Missionary-Society, which employs regularly-ordained clergymen of our Church, and places them under the superintendence of each colonial Bishop, as his curates. The degree to which (as Lord Bacon observes) men's thoughts and views are influenced by lan- guage, instead of their bearing rule over it, is one of the most curious, and of the most practically import- ant and interesting phenomena of human nature. The Romans after the expulsion of the Tarquins could never be brought to endure the degradation of being governed by a King; though they sub- mitted tamely to be under the most cruel des- potism of Dictators and Emperors. And the title of King was one which Oliver Cromwell never could venture to assume, though he exercised the regal office under that of Lord Protector. And even so, there are men who would shrink from assuming, and others, from pretending to confer on them, the episcopal name, even when the most important functions of the Office were exercised without scruple. Cases may indeed occur — as I , , , Cases which observed to you a good many years justify depar- ago' — in which a strong necessity i^refrom would justify and would require sucl 9 cncral rules. See Essay II. On the Kingdom of Christ. 3° CASES OF NECESSITY. proceedings as Avould, under ordinary circum- stances, be highly blameable : and this holds good equally Avith ecclesiastical and with civil atFairs. Either in secular, or in religious concerns, it would be most unfair, on the one hand to censure men for taking a course to which they were driven by the circumstances in which they Avere placed, or, on the other hand, to make this a precedent for those in totally different circumstances. " Sup- pose, for instance" (as I took occasion to remark to you a good many years ago), " a number of emi- grants to be shipwrecked on a desert island, such as afforded them means of subsistence, but pre- cluded all reasonable hope of their quitting it : or suppose them to have taken refuge there as fugitives from intolerable oppression, or from a conquering enemy; (no uncommon case in ancient times) or to have been driven to throw off the yoke of such monstrous tyranny as no one could be expected to endure, or to be the sole survivors of a pestilence or earthquake which had destroyed the rest of the nation ; no one would maintain that these shipwrecked emigrants, or fugitives, or eman- cipated serfs, were bound, or were permitted, to remain — themselves and their posterity — in a state of anarchy, on the ground of there being no one among them who could claim hereditary or other right to govern them. It would clearly be right, and wise, and necessary, that they should regard themselves as constituted by the very circum- CASES OF NECESSITY. stances of their position, a civil community; and should assemble to enact such laws and appoint such magistrates as they might judge most suitable to their circumstances. And obedience to those laws and governors, as soon as the constitution was settled, would become a moral duty to all the members of the community : and this, even though some of the enactments might appear, or miglit be, (though not at variance with the immutable laws of morality, yet) considerably short of perfection. The King, or other magistrates thus appointed, would be legitimate rulers ; and the laws framed by them, valid and binding. The precept of ' submitting to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake,' and of ' rendering to all their due,' would apply in this case as completely as in respect of any civil community that exists. " And yet these men would have been doing what in ordinary circumstances^ would have been manifest rebellion. For if these same, or any other indivi- dual subjects of our own or of any existing Govern- ment (imperfect as all Governments under fallible men must be) were to take upon themselves to throw off their allegiance to it, without any such necessity, and were to pretend to constitute them- selves an independent Sovereign-State, and proceed to elect a King or Senate, — to frame a Constitution, and to enact laws, all resting on their own self- created authority, no one would doubt, that, however wise in themselves those laws might be, 3* SCHISMATICAL CONDUCT. and however personally well-qualified the magis- trates thus appointed, — they would not be legiti- mate governors, or valid laAvs : and those who had so attempted to establish them, would be manifest rebels. " A similar rule will apply to the case of eccle- siastical communities. If any number of indi- viduals,— not having the plea of an express reve- lation to the purpose, or again, of their deliberate conviction that the Church from which they (whether avowedly or virtually) separate, is fun- damentally erroneous and unscriptural — or tliat it has utterly failed, — after all applications and remonstrances had been tried, — to fulfil its mani- fest duties, — if they should take upon themselves to constitute a new Church, according to their own fancy, and to appoint themselves or others to ministerial offices, without having any recognised authority to do so, derived from the existing religious community of which they were members, but merely on the ground of supposed personal qualifications, then, however wise in themselves the institutions, and however, in themselves, fit, the persons appointed, there can be no more doubt that the guilt of Schism would be incurred in this case, than that the other just mentioned would be an act of rebellion." As for a resort to any kind of secular coercion for preventing or putting down these or other such irregularities in religious matters, it would be, I ECCLESIASTICAL EEVOLUTIONS. 33 trust, superfluous for me to say how much I should deprecate anything of the kind. But I wish that what really is Schism should be perceived to be Schism ; and that it should be avoided by sincere and sound members of a Church, not through fear of any civil penalties, but from a sense of duty. It is my belief however that the , • Ecclesiastical greater part oi those who engage in any ^g^^^j^^^-^^ such scheme as I have been alluding to, have had no thought of that which it in reality amounts to, — attempting a revolution. I am far from saying indeed that an Ecclesiastical Revolu- tion should never be attempted ; but I do say that it should never be attempted but as a last resource, in a case of manifest and extreme necessity. And when it is attempted, all who are engaged in it ought clearly to see that it is a revolution. Nor will any wise man engage in such an attempt with- out providing all practicable security that the issue shall not be something more intolerable than the evils originally complained of; without providing beforehand the means of substituting some better constitution, or some safer rulers, for the frame- work which he seeks to break up, and the Governors Avhom he endeavours to depose.' ^ " Our own happy political Kevolutionin 1688 owed its suc- cess mainly, under God, to the prudence with which it was planned — the forecast that was used — and the care that was taken to ensure that the weight and influence, the rank and the wisdom of the country, should be at the head of the movement. 34 JUST CLAIMS OF A CHURCH. These remarks I have thought not Danger of unsuitable to the present occasion, be- overlooking ^ ' the rightful cause ncvcr are the rightful claims of claims of a ^ Christian Church more likely to be Church. forgotten or under-rated than when claims the most unwarrantable and presumptuous have been advanced. For it always has been, and will be, an infirmity of human nature to rush with unthinkino; eagerness from one extreme into its opposite. Thus, the corruptions introduced into the Mosaic system by the Jewish Rulers, and again, the eagerness of those Jews who did acknowledge Jesus, to bring the Gentile-converts under the yoke of the Law — seem to have greatly contributed at least to the rise of the very early heresy of the Gnostics, who denied that the Mosaic Law had proceeded from the Supreme God. But the Apostles, and Paul especially, to whom it chiefly appertained, steadily opposed both errors : always Yet even that unparalleled movement took a turn in the event — fortunate, indeed, as it proved, yet quite different from what the majority of those who at first engaged in it, ever expected — the Settlement of the Crown first upon King William, and then upon the House of Hanover, with a total exclusion of James II. and his direct male heirs. Again, look to the case of France. However satisfactory any one may think the pre- sent state of things there to be, no one can doubt that the men of repuhlican principles who dethroned Louis Philipi^e in 1848, were as far from expecting the actual result, as they were from desiring it. So hard is it to calculate beforcliand what will be tlie issue of a great cliange in an old established Society !" — Caul ion a fur the Times, No. XXVIII., p. 494. JUST CLAIMS OF A CHURCH. 35 maintaining the divine origin and authority of the Mosaic Law, but no more conceding infallibility to its interpreters and teachers, than we do to the Church of Rome : that mighty river so pure at its source, but which has gradually become more and more turbid as it rolled onwards. It is our part, my Reverend Brethren, while ever ready, on suitable occasions, to explain the proper office of a Church, and to maintain its rightful claims ; — it is for us to give the people as little cause as possible for disputing, or even inquiring into those claims. If you are assiduous in giving sound christian instruction — in consoling the afflicted — in enlightening those in error — in awakening the negligent — and above all (since children are the morrow of society) in seeing that the rising generation are as well trained as pos- sible, you will be impressing on your people in the most effectual way, a practical and habitual con- viction of the value of a regularly-constituted Christian Church, by imparting to them the ad- vantages for the sake of Avhich a Christian Church was instituted ; and they will rightly understand and duly appreciate the means through which such beneficial ends are attained. LONDON: SAVILL AND EDWABDS, PRINTERS, CHAND0S-8TBEET, COVENT-GAKDEN, THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE, THE EUCHARIST, AND TIIE DOCTRINES CONNECTED THEREWITH. A C PI A R G E. DELIVERED AT THE TRIENNIAL VISITATION OF THE PROVINCE OF DUBLIN. / By RICHARD WHATELY, D.D., ARCIZBISnOP OF DUBZiy, LONDON": JOHN W. PARKER AND SON, WEST STRAND. DUBLIN: HODGES AND SMITH, GRAFTON STREET. 1856. LONDON: SAVILL AND EDWAEDS, PHINTEES, CHANDOS STREET, COTENI GAEDEN. TO THE BISHOPS AND CLERGY OF THE PEOVINCE OF DUBLIX, THIS CHARGE IS INSCRIBED, WITH EAKNEST PRAYEBS FOR THEIR WELFARE, AUD THAT OF THE PEOPLE COMIIITTED TO THEIR CARE, BY THEIR SINCERE FRIEND AND FELLOW-LABOURER, THE AUTHOR. j I I 1 I I i ! i I I ADVERTISEMENT. ^HnrS Charge, of whicli the chief part was re- ported in the newspapers, is now printed entire. It was too long to be delivered at any one place ; and accordingly portions of it were omitted, some at one Visitation, and some at another. But I always retained the greater part of those passages, in which I have endeavoured to set forth what appears to me to be a most important principle of interpretation, and one which, though not over- looked, is not in general so strongly dwelt on as it deserves to be — namely, that of looking, in the first instance, to the sense in which the hearers were likely to have understood, and must have been known to understand, what was said to them ; the presump- tion being that this is the true sense (in any matter of vital consequence), unless they afterwards received some different explanation of it. CONTENTS. PAGE Deficient attendance at the Lord's Table, § i lo Superstitious notions respecting the Eucharist, § 2 . . . 11 Neglect by Protestants of a known duty, § 3 13 Erroneous views respecting the Eucharist to be met by appeal to Scripture, §4 14 Alleged miracle of transubstantiation, a contrast to those recorded in Scripture, §5 17 Right principle of interpretation of Scripture, § 6 . . . 18 Test of literal or figui-ative interpretation, § 7 . ... 21 Errors concerning the Eucharist, not sprung from erroneous interpretation of Scripture, §8 22 Reaction in favour of blind acquiescence in groundless claims, §9 24 Ambiguity of the word "mystery," § 10 28 Sacrificial character of the Death of Chidst, indicated by the Eucharist, §11 30 Attempts to explain away the docti-ine of the Atonement, § 12 32 Danger of rash attempts at explanation, § 13 34 Faith shown by contented ignorance of divine mysteries, §14 37 Abraham's faith to be imitated, § 15 39 Practical faith, in reference to the Eucharist, § 16 . . . 43 Natural and Positive Duties, § 17 45 Groundless scruples, §18 47 Connexion of Confirmation with the Eucharist, §19 . . 5 ^ Early attendance at Church, §20 53 Hymns, §21 54 A CHARGE, ETC. My Eeverend Brethren, § I. You will not, I feel con- fident, think any prefatory apology tefdance at necessary for advertinsr to an important Lord's , . . . Table. subject, respecting which, though I have no complaint against ^ou, there is hardly one of you, probably, that has not to complain, more or less, of several of his flock ; I mean, the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. There are few of you, I fear, if any, that have not observed, and observed with great sorrow, that a large proportion — frequently a great majority — of a congregation, withdraw from the celebration of that solemn ordinance ; and that, of these, though some are occasional communicants (on one or two of the greatest Festivals of our Church), many are altogether strangers to the duty; and regard it, if they regard it at* all as a duty for themselves, as something to be reserved for the death-bed, and to stand in the place of the (so-called) sacrament of Extreme Unction of the Church of Rome. Habitually to communicate is what they have no notion of as a duty, to Christians as such, but only to persons who undertake to lead a life of a certain pre-eminent holiness, and pretend to a kind 10 THE RIGHT rUINCIPLE of Saiutsliip beyond, and quite distinct from what is suitable for Cliristians generally. Accordingly, an intelligent stranger coming among us from some distant heathen land, and judging from his own observations and inquiries, as to the character of our religion (I mean, even that of our Church ; putting out of account all other Denominations), would be likely to conclude that Christianity is not one Religion, but two ; designed for two different classes of persons, communicants and non-communicants ; both servants, indeed, of the same Master, but having, by his authority, dif- ferent kinds of religious observances allotted to them respectively. When we seek to form some calculation as to the effect of our exhortations, the Communion-table often furnishes something of a test, though only on the negative side. For though we cannot venture to assume that all who attend it are induced to do so by our persuasions, or that all of them are in a proper frame of mind, on the other hand, every one who withdraws is a manifest instance of our failure. I am not speaking, you will observe, of persons altogether irreligious, or who are neglectful of any acknowledged christian duties. Some such, indeed, we must always expect to meet with. But I am speaking of those whose neglect of the particular duty in question arises from some kind of misap- prehension as to its character. OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 1 I It is oiir part, of course, to study to remove from men's minds whatever misapprehensions may exist ; addressing ourselves in each case to the particular error which, from private inquiry, we shall find to be the most prevalent. § 2. Among the causes which have led to the neglect of the Ordinance of notiwiste-^^ the Lord's Supper by many, and in one ^i^ecUng the J J' _ Eucharist. christian Sect, to the absolute rejection of it, must be reckoned, I cannot doubt, the super- stitions that have prevailed on the subject. For, every kind of superstition, besides the intrinsic evil of it, has a tendency to cast discredit on any doctrine or institution that has been abused by an admixture of human devices. The " wall daubed with untem- pered mortar," which has been built up by pre- sumptuous Man, has a tendency to bring do^vTi in its fall the original and sound parts of the building. And thus the superstitious adoration of the elements of bread and wine — not to mention that it has exposed to contemptuous rejection the religion itself of which it was represented as a part — led, by a natural reaction, to the entire exclusion of the Sacra- ment itself, which had been thus abused, from the list of christian Ordinances. The paradoxical and revolting character of the doctrine of Transubstan- tiation, and tho superstitions resulting from it, caused a well-known Sect to reject the Eucharist altogether.' And among ourselves there have ^ See Note A, at the end. 12 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE arisen, of late years (and this is one of my reasons for now calling your attention to the subject), per- sons teaching strange mystical notions respecting this Sacrament, such as can hardly be distinguished from the theory of Transubstantiation, and which have probably contributed to lead several of them- selves and of their admirers to take the consistent step of openly joining the Church of Rome. Theories have been maintained by some professed members of our Church, that are in manifest contradiction to the express words of our Article ; an Article which they explain away in a " non-natural sense," in such a manner, that anything might thus be made out of anything.' We are told that " The wicked and such as be void of a lively faith, when they do carnally and visibly press with their teeth the sacramental bread," are really partakers (though to their own condemnation) of the body of Christ. And a strong presumption is thus created in favour of a Church which, consistently with this doctrine, teaches the * It is maintained that the declaration that no change of the substance of bread and wine takes place, is to be interpreted to mean that a change of the Substance does take place, the Accidents only remaining unchanged; which is notoriously the very doctrine our Reformers were opposing. It would be well if any such writer and his admirers would consider what might be the result of taking similar liberties with his own exjiressions ; which might, without any greater violence, be made to signify that he had no belief at all in Christianity as a divine revelation. OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 1 3 sacrifice of the Mass, and calls the Communion-table an Altar (an expression which, unfortunately, man}' Protestants have inadvertently adopted), and incul- cates the adoration of the Host — ^the victim supposed to be offered up on that Altar. And those who have accordingly gone over to that Church — mistaken as we believe them to be — show at least a higher moral principle than those who practise or who approve the system of covertly holding and teaching doc- trines utterly opposed to those of the Church they profess to adhere to. ^3. Some Protestants, however, we meet with who congratulate themselves Neglect by . , . . . „ • 1 Protestants of on their exemption irom Itomish error, knoion duty. in this and in other points, but who need to be reminded that they are themselves guilty of a worse fault than what they censure in their brethren ; from many of whom they might take an example to their own profit. For we find but too many Protestants (as was observed just above) with- drawing from the Lord's Table, in disregard of his plain injunction ; while Roman Catholics do perform what they conceive to be a duty, though under what we hold to be erroneous notions concerning it. And yet, there is much more reason for thetu to shrink from it under that kind of mysterious dread which so often keeps back Protestants. For, what we have to trust to, is the divine commands and promises, together with that faith and devotion of our own, of which we can judge from our own con- 14 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE sciousncss. But the Homanist has to rely, in addi- tion, on the inward intention of the Priest. If he be a secret infidel, not intending, nor believing it possible, to convert the bread into the Lord's body, and inwardly regarding the whole Service with dis- dainful moclvery — (and this is what, we know, hun- dreds of Priests in France declared of themselves, at the time of the first Pevolution) — the whole Sacra- ment is nullified.' So that no Komanist can have a reasonable certainty that he is not adoring a morsel of common bread. Yet many of them perform, nevertheless, what they sincerely believe to be their duty, while many a Protestant omits what he ac- knowledges to be his. _ § 4. As for those semi- Romish Erroneous views respect- theories (as they may be called) which ing the En- j j^^^^ adverted to, I shall not attempt cliartst to he ^ met hy appeal any particular examination of them, as to Scripture. i.- n i ii i v they are so mystically obscure that it ^ It is true however that this doctrine of "intention" is not brought prominently forward and pressed on the attention of the Roman Catholic laity. On the contrary, many of these will be found, on inquiry, even ignorant that their Church has any such doctrine, and ready to deny it; though it is a doctrine which the Council of Trent puts forth with an Anathema. It should be added that even if the officiating minister be himself sincere, the same nullity is incurred if there be an absence of the requisite " intention' in the priest who baptised him, or in the bishop who ordained him, or in those who baptised and ordained and consecrated that bishop, &c. — in short, if there be a flaw in any one of tlio innumerable links of that enormous chain on wliich the validity of a Sacrament is made to depend. OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTTJllE. 15 may be well doubted whether even the framers of them attach, themselves, any distinct meaning to their own language ; and it cannot be doubted that, to plain ordinary Christians, they must be altogether unintelligible. But I would remark, in reference to the doctrine of Transubstantiation itself, and to any others closely approaching it, that it is not ad- visable to resort (as some eminent Divines have done) to metaphysical arguments relating to the properties of Matter, or to appeals to the bodily senses, or to allegations of the abstract impossibility of such a miracle as is in this case pretended. At least, any considerations of this kind should hold a secondary and very subordinate place ; and the primary and principal appeal should be made to the plain declarations of Scripture in their most natural sense. Such was the procedure of our Eeformers, who, in the twenty-eighth Article, instead of entering on any subtle disquisitions, declare that the doctrine of Transubstantiation " cannot be proved by Holy Writ, but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture." If we are fully convinced that the Scriptures contain a divine revelation, we are required to receive whatever they distinctly assure us of, how- ever little we may be able to understand its possi- bility. But then, if it be something extremely paradoxical, we may fairly expect to have — if it is to be an Article of Faith — a more distinct and un- i6 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE mistakeable declaration of it in Scripture than if it had been something antecedently probable, and in harmony with the rest of what is revealed. Now, to the present case this principle will apply. It is, indeed, not correct to say (though it is very commonly said) that the alleged miracle of Tran- substantiation contradicts the senses. For, all that is testified by the senses is, the attributes [the acci- dents] of any material object — the appearance, for instance, and smell, and taste, of bread ; and all these attributes the advocates of Transubstantiation admit to remain unchanged. Our belief that that which has these attributes is the substance of bread, is an infereyice which we draw fi'om the testimony of our senses ; but however correct the inference may be, it is not the very thing which the senses themselves testify, but a conclusion deduced from the perception of those qualities which the senses do present to us. To state the matter in the briefest form. The pro- cedure of Protestants, and, in all other cases, of Eoman Catholics also, is this : Whatever has all the accidents of bread, is the substance, bread ; this that is before us has those accidents ; therefore it is the substance, bread. Now, of the two premises from which this inference is drawn, it is the minor only that the senses attest ; and it is the other premiss that the Eomanist denies. But he draws a like in- ference with ours from the testimony of his senses in all other cases ; though he maintains, in this one case, not that our senses deceive us, but that there OF THE INTERPRETATION 01' SCRIPTURE. 1 7 is a change of the substance of bread into that of a human body, while all the accidents (as they are called) of which — and of which alone — the senses take cognizance, remain unchanged. And if asked how this can be, and how a body can be at once, and entire, in thousands of places at once, he replies by a reference to the divine omnipotence. ^ 5. But it is admitted that all this is extremely paradoxical, and that the ^acU of tran- alleged miracle is a complete contrast ^^^^stantm- _ hon, a con- to the acknowledged miracles of Jesus trust to those and his Apostles, which were appeals to ^g^^l^^^f^^"' the senses ; s/'pis (as they were usually called) of a divine mission ; proofs as a foundation for faith ; not matters of faith to be received in consequence of our being already believers in the Religion taught. The miracles that are recorded in Scripture cannot even be reckoned imjjrohahle ; for, great as is, no doubt, the abstract improbabilit}^ of any miracle, considered sim])ly in itself, it is plain that (as is well observed by Origen) the propagation of Christianity by the sole force of miraculous claims, supposing them unfounded — the overthrow of the religions of the whole civilized world by a handful of Jewish peasants and fishermen, destitute of all superhuman powers — would be far more improbable than all the miracles narrated in Scripture. Even if we had, therefore, less full and distinct statements in Scripture of the miracles of Jesus and his Apostles than we have, there would have been a B i8 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE strong presumption tliat these men could not have done wliat they did but by the display of miraculous signs. But as for the alleged miracle of Transubstantia- tion, it is but reasonable that we should at least require a very strong and clear declaration of it in the inspired Writings. And here it may be worth while to remark by the way, that it is not only paradoxical, but at variance even with the very de- scription given of it by those who maintain it. For if you ask any one of them to state what was, for instance, the first miraculous sign displayed by Moses, he will say it was the change of the Kod into a Serpent ; that which had the form, colour, motion, and, in short, all the " accidents" of a serpent, being in reality Moses's rod ; and he will say, not that the serpent was changed into a rod, but, on the contrary, that the rod was changed into a serpent. In like manner, therefore, if that which has the appearance and all " accidents" of bread, be, in reality, a human body, he should say, not that bread is converted into the body, but that the body has become bread. And if he say, that that which was originally bread is changed into the Lord's body, he must yet say, also, that that body is, im- mediately after, re-converted into bread. § 6. All this surely requires, as I Minht prin- , . , ., , , cipie of inter- bavc said, vcry clear and strong scrip- pretationof ^ural authority to establish it. But Scripture. when we ask for this, we are referred to 0¥ THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 1 9 such a passage as — " This is my body which is parallel to many others that every one understands figuratively ; as when our Lord is called a Lamb, a Vine, a Shepherd, and a Door ; and when He says, in explaining his Parables, " The seed is the "Word of God " The Eeapers are the Angels ;" and the like. Thoroughly familiar as the Disciples must have been with such figurative expressions, it cannot be doubted that they must have so understood Him when He presented to them " bread, saying, this is my body." If indeed He had not in person insti- tuted the Eite, but his Apostles, after his departure, had, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, intro- duced it, using the words, " This is the Lord's body," there might have been perhaps some little danger — though but very little, even so — ^that some disciples might have supposed a miraculous though invisible change of substance to be meant. But, as if on purpose to guard against this. He Himself began the celebration of the rite ; knowing, as He must have known, that the Apostles could not have thought that He was holding his own literal body in his own hands, and giving it to them, but would feel sure that He was speaking of a representation — a symbol — of his body. And to most of them — probably to all — would occur what they had heard from Himself just before, " The flesh profiteth no- thing ; it is the Spirit that giveth life ;" implying — what is of itself evidently reasonable — that the real literal flesh of the human body of the Son of B Z 20 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE Man, even if it could literally be received by our bodily organs, could not, of itself, and merely as flesh, have any spiritual efficacy as regards the soul.' It seems inconceivable, then, that any one of common sense can really doubt that the Apostles understood their Master to be speaking at the last Supper, of the bread and wine as symbols of his body broken and his blood shed for them. And we may surely presume that, if this their belief had been erroneous, they would have received afterwards, on so important a point, a correction of their mistake, and whatever instruction was needed. Now, we know from their own writings that they not only received no such correction, but continued in their original belief; since we find Paul, for in- stance, speaking to the Corinthians of " the bread that we break besides frequent incidental allusions, in the Book of Acts, to the " breaking of bread" as a weE-known and established Christian Ordinance. There can be no doubt then, surely, in any rational mind, that the Apostles did understand literally and not figuratively, our Lord's injunction, " Do this in remembrance of Me," as what was to be obeyed (as they did obey it) by a real literal par- taking of the bread and wine ; and that they did ^ And accordingly, the bread and wine at the Lord's Supper must be regarded (as I have elsewhere remarked) as not only a Sign, but a sign of a Sign ; being a Sign of his Body and Blood, which are a Sign of " the Spirit which qiiickeueth." OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 21 understand figuratively and not literally, his words, " This is my body." § 7. Now, the safest test to apply in r, ^^^ 1 jj. i. J.1 Test of literal any case oi possible doubt as to the ji^urative right sense of an3^thing said by our i'iie>'2}reta- . . tion. Lord or his Apostles, is, to look to the sense (when we can ascertain it) in which their hearers understood them. And we may fairly pre- sume that, if any mistake were made by those hearers as to the meaning of what was said on some essential point, that mistake would be rectified, and the right explanation given, either immediately or afterwards. Thus, when the disciples understood Jesus to be speaking literally of the "leaven" of bread, He at once explained to them his real meaning. AVlien He spoke of his resurrection, and they "understood not," but supposed Him to be speaking figuratively, and " reasoned among themselves" what this could mean, his actual resurrection afforded them an ex- planation. And their belief that the benefits of the Gospel were to be confined to Jews by nature, and those Gentiles who should conform to the Mosaic Law, was a mistake corrected by an express reve- lation to Peter. Now, in the present case, no correction was made of the sense in which the Disciples must certainly have understood our Lord's words. And I need hardly remind you how earnestly, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, the oneness of Christ's sacrifice is 22 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE contrasted with the continually-repeated sacrifices of the Levitical Law ; plainly showing- that the Eucharist was understood to be, not a fresh sacri- fice, hut a feast of the one sufiicient sacrifice made " once for all," and that the breaking of his body, and the shedding of his blood, is commemorated, but not repeated.' § 8. Among the errors, therefore — Errors ran- doubtless there are many and great cemmg the " JEucharist, oncs — which liavc arisen from an not sprunq . , , .. n a • i from erro- erroncous interpretation oi bcripture, neous inter- tliis is, I think, not to be reckoned. It pretation of • c 1 i. \ • Scripture. must have arisen irom human teaching, bi/ pastors, and to a people, little ac- quainted with Scripture, and paying little regard to it ; and accordingly the doctrine does not appear to have existed for the first thousand years and ' " This man after He had offered one sacrifice for ever (t te to dtriveKeo) then sat down on the riglit hand of God; .... for by one sacrifice He hath perfected for ever (ttc ro cirjyeKec) them that are partakers of sanctification not ij-yunrfxtvovQ, "them that are sanctified," in the past tense, but ayi^'Cof-itvovc, in the 4^_- present. And as for our Lord's expression, " my fiesh is meat indeed (aXrjdwe), (which is followed in our Church Catechism, which says that his body and blood " are verily and indeed re- ceived by the Mthful,") the Apostles must have understood Him as when He said " I am the true vine" — aXrjdiroc — which denoted not his being a vine in the literal sense, but in the highest and most important sense ; even as Paul says that " that is not circumcision which is outward in the flesh," (which, lite- rally, it clearly is,) but that " circumcision is of the heart i.e., in the noblest an,d best sense. OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 23 more. But wlien introduced, and prevailing, Scrip- ture was afterwards wrested into a sense that might seem to support it. And this will always be readily acquiesced in, if done by a Church, which is believed to be the divinely-appointed, infallible guide in all religious matters. It is but lost labour to prove to a man's o^vn judgment that a certain interpretation of Scripture is forced and unnatural, as long as he is fully convinced that he ought implicitly to submit his own judgment to that of his Church. He will acknowledge that there is a mysterious difficulty^ which it is his duty to disregard; but no valid objection. There are to be found — and I suppose always will be — persons of such a disposition as to be glad to allow others to think for them, and to relieve them of the responsibility of forming judgments for themselves. Among Protestants, one may some- times find the leaders of parties assuming (while they disclaim in words all claim to infallibility) the right of deciding for their followers ; who cut short all discussion by at once denouncing all who do not agree with that Party, as " not knowing the Gospel," and who take for granted that whatever "v-iews on any point are adopted by their Party, are to be received as the undoubted decisions of the Holy Spirit; putting, in reality, though not in words, a (supposed) infallible Party, for an infallible Church. 24 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE But it is a remarkable fact, that of tlie persons who have even gone over to such a Church, a large proportion are of a character the very opposite to that from which most woiJd have anticipated such a result. They are persons not distinguished by extreme self-distrust, or a tendency to excessive and unreasonable deference and submissiveness, and a readiness on slight grounds to acquiesce in what is said; but in all respects the very opposite of all this : arrogant, self-confident, wilful, indocile, disdainful of any one who opposes their views, and inclined to demand stronger proof of anything they are called on to believe than the case admits of, or than a reasonable man would require. Yet such persons are found yielding to one of the worst- supported claims that ever was set up, and assenting to a long list of most paradoxical propositions, every one of which has a vast mass of evidence against it, and hardly anything that can be called an argu- ment in its favour. § 9. The case seems to be that a EeacUon in rc-action takes place in a mind of this ^hlinlacqui- descrij)tion, and the individual rushes escencc in with a veliemcnce that is quite charac- groumlless , ■ t- r i. ai claims. teristic, irom one extreme to the oppo- site. He is weary of inquiring, dis- cussing, investigating, answering objections, and forming a judgment on a multitude of separate points, and so resolves to cut short at once all this disquieting fatigue by accepting implicitly the OF THE INTERPEETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 25 decisions on all points of an autliority wliicli demands submission, not on the ground of a con- viction of the understanding, but as an act of the Will, commanding us to stifle doubts, and shun inquiry, and set evidence at defiance. Such is almost the very language of one of the converts in question: — "Don't stand at the door arguing, but enter the great home of the soul — enter, and adore Faith ever begins with a venture, and is rewarded with sight Such a person is under no duty to wait for clearer light. He will not have — he cannot expect — clearer light before conversion. Certainty in its highest sense is tlie reward of those who hy an act of the Will, embrace the Truth, when Nature like a coward shrinks. You must make a venture. Faith is a Venture, before a man is a Catholic, and a grace after it." — {^Loss and Gain?) Such a man is like one who, being the proprietor of some great manufacturing, or commercial, or agricultural concern, becomes weary of looking after a multitude of details in the various departments of the business, and watching the various persons employed in it, and thereupon resolves to throw the whole superintendence into the hands of an agent, provided with an ample Power-of- Attorney, and entrusted with unlimited control throughout. This may be a very wise course, supjiosinr/ the agent fixed on to be one whom there are good grounds for thus trusting, as thoroughly well 26 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE qualified both in point of skill and of iutegrit3^ But nothing can be a more monstrous absurdity, supposing him fixed on at random, on no grounds but his own boastful and unsupported pretensions, and merely because the proprietor resolved that he %vould fully trust some one, and only one. He has indeed thus cleared himself of a multitude of re- sponsibilities, but at the risk of a universal and total ruin. And the convert who proceeds in an analo- gous manner has exchanged a number of questions on this, that, and the other point, for one which, however, comprehends in it all the rest together, and presents a great difficulty, besides, of itself For he who has adopted a multitude of errors in the lump, on the authority of a guide whom he has no reason to trust, is responsible for all and each of those errors, and for that of choosing, by a mere act of Will, such a guide, in addition. A man who adopts this course is likely to obtain ultimately little or nothing of that tranquillity of mind which he had hoped for, and for which he had paid so dear. In proportion as he is intelligent and thoughtful, he will be haunted with the suspicion, " Is there not a lie in my right hand ? Was I justified in shutting the eyes God gave me, and giving myself up to be led by a blind guide ? Is not the well-compacted fabric of my faith built on a foundation of sand ?" And the more he resolves to turn away his thoughts from evidence, and to banish doubts, the more he will feel that there are OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 27 doubts unresolved; and that evidence is against him. A firm determination of the IFill to believe, he will find to be far different from a real firm belief. And he will probably end — where some, it is likely, have begun — in securing that alone which alone does lie within the reach of Will, a vehe- ment protestation of behef, and inculcation of it on others, with a full conviction indeed of the useful- ness of his religion, as a means of influencing the vulgar, and satisfying their craving for some de- votional exercise, but with little or no conviction of its truth. If such a person avows that he has maintained what he does not inwardly think, be- cause it was " necessary for his position," he may well expect to be believed in that avowal, if in nothing else. And we may feel some suspicion that some of his disciples, who do 7iot make that avowal, may be inwardly of the same mind.' ^ Such a state of mind is likely to be fostered — perhaps gene- rated— by some writers of no small popularity in the present day. One of them, deriding and censiiring all appeals to evi- dences of the truth of Christianity, urges men to embrace it merely from " feeling the want of it." He himself at one time embraced Socinianism, and at another German Transcendental- ism, from such feelings of want. And the " want" of a deliverer from the Eoman yoke led the Jews of old to reject the true Christ, and to follow false pretenders. Again, a reviewer of the life of Gibbon attributes the histo- rian's infidelity to his study of the evidences of Christianity. And he would have people taught that the truth of tlie Gospel was never denied by any one ! Another reviewer (of the life of Baxter, in the Edinburgh,) 28 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE § lo. Such expressions as " sacred Ambiguity of mysterv," " awfully mysterious," and the word ii ti "mystery:' tliG like, are oiten very successiully employed to stifle inquiry wliere in- quiry might be dangerous, and to deter people from examining carefull}^ what it is that they are called on to assent to, and whether the Scriptures do really teach it, or rather contradict it. And the word " Mystery," when erroneously or indistinctly under- stood, has contributed, I cannot doubt, both to cherish superstitions in some, and to create ground- less terror in others. It was employed by our Reformers — agreeably to a use of the word which is frequent in the New Testament — to denote a symbol, emblem, or representation, of one thing by another. And they used it interchangeably with the words " sign" and " sacrament," as you may see — for instance, in the Twenty-ninth Article. In the Epistle to the Ephesians the Apostle Paul speaks tells us — with marvellous ignorance, or trust in the reader's ignorance — that "the Apostles denounced unbelief as sin" — not, as is the fact, because they offered " many infallible proofs," but without any proof at all. And he assures us that inquiry into the Evidences of Christianity is likely to lead to disbelief of it. That an avowed infidel should say this, is nothing strange ; but it is truly wonderful that writers apparently zealous in the cause of Christianity should not perceive that they are defeating their own object, and that a declaration from a professed believer that examination of evidence is likely to end in rejection of Christianity, does more to produce infidelity than the most ingenious objections of all the professed unbelievers in existence. OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 29 of marriage as an emblem {iivarnpiov ; in the Vul- gate, " Sacramentum") representing the union of Christ with his Church. And in like manner, in one of the post-communion prayers we speak of those " who have duly received these holy mysteries" — viz., the bread and wine. So also in the bap- tismal service, we speak of water " sanctified to the mystical {i.e., figm-ative or symbolical) washing away of sin." But the ordinary colloquial use of the word " mystery" suggests the idea of something obscure and unintelligible ; and thus the way is prepared for an indefinite amount of superstition, and, among others, for superstitious dread and aversion. On the one hand, in any matter which a man conceives to be quite unintelligible — or unintel- ligible to him — many a one will be disposed to believe and do whatever is solemnly and vehemently urged upon him by his spiritual guides, without presuming to inquire whether there is any ground for such faith and practice. And, on the other hand, anything unintelligibly mysterious, and at the same time connected with something of danger, many a one will be inclined to shrink from with a kind of undefined dread, and not only to avert liis thoughts from the subject, but practically to with- draw from having anything to do with it ; even as a traveller in some unknown region would dread to pass through a forest which he suspected to abound with beasts of prey and venomous serpents. 3° THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE But by tlie word " mystery," as applied to the sacraments, our Reformers (as I have said) under- stood a symbolical representation. Concerning the efficacy, indeed, of our Lord's death itself for man's redemption, they do not — as is, unhappily, the practice of some — attempt to give explanations beyond what the Scripture writers have revealed to us. But far as that mystery surpasses — as the most modest and wisest men perceive — the reach of human understanding, the early disciples, when once assured on sufficient authority that the death of Jesus ivas a sacrifice, could have found nothing difficult or strange in the idea of a feast on a sacri- fice ; since, both in the Jewish and in the heathen sacrifices, they had been accustomed to see the worshippers partake of the victim. And to this custom, as a well-known one, Paul alludes, in writing to the Corinthians. § II. And it is worth observing. Sacrificial that, besidcs the many distinct and the death of cxprcss declarations of the Sacred Christ, mdi- writers of the sacrificial character of cated by the Hucharist. Christ's death, the very institution of the Eucharist was itself sufficient to impress this on men's minds ; considering who and what the persons were to whom these declarations were made. If He had been merely a martyr — the greatest of all martyrs — to the cause of divine truth, it would indeed have been natural that his death should have been in some way solemnly com- OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 3 1 memorated by the Church; and perhaps by some symbohcal commemoration of the death itself ; but not, by the eating and drinking of the symbols of his body and blood. As is well remarked by Bishop Hinds, in one of his works, not only is the bread broke?!, and the wine poured out (which might have sufficiently represented the wounding of his body> and the shedding of his blood), but both are par- taken of by those who celebrate the rite. And this would be an unmeaning and utterly absurd kind of ceremonial in celebrating a mere martyrdom, such as that of Stephen, for instance, or of any other martyr, however eminent. Even if we had not, therefore, such numerous allusions as we find in Scripture, to " Christ our Passover as sacrificed for us," and entering " into the most holy place with his own blood," as a sacrificing priest as well as a victim, — even if we had much fewer of such state- ments and allusions than there are — still, the Sacra- ment of the Lord's Supper, early and generally established as we know it was, would be a decisive proof that the early Christians must have under- stood, from the very character of that ordinance itself, that our Lord's death was not a mere martyr- dom, but a true sacrifice, similar to — tliough far surpassing — the expiatory sacrifices which they had been familiar with under the Law, and which we find so often referred to as types of the offering of Christ. The passages in which such reference is made, 33 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE and in which the sacrificial character of tliat death is strongly set forth, are so numerous, and of course so well known to you, that it would be superfluous to cite or even to refer to them. We are not called on to receive this doctrine, remote as it is from all the anticipations of human reason, and beyond our powers of explanation, on the strength of two or three slight and oblique hints, capable of equally well bearing either that or some other signi- fication but the statements of the doctrine, and allusions to it, in Scripture are — as might fairly have been expected — numerous, and distinct, and full. ^12. But attempts have been made Atiempfs to ^^^^ ^-^^ ^-^^ ^^-^ explain aicay ' ~ the doctriue made, to explain all these passages as of the Atone- „ n i a t j^i • • c ^g^^ figures 01 speech. And this is one oi my reasons for now adverting to the subject. Wliat then, it may be asked, is the test by which we are to decide ichat expressions are to be understood literally, and what figuratively? The adherents of a supposed infallible Church represent an implicit deference to the decisions of such a Church as the only safeguard against all conceivable wantonness of interpretation ; against an indefinite amount of error, from understanding figuratively what is meant to be taken literally, and literally what is not literally meant, according to each man's private judgment, as his own fancy may dictate. 1 See Essay VI., Second Seiies, § 2. OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIFTURE. 33 And certainly if we could have proof of the ex- istence of any such infallible authority on earth, and also a clear indication where it is lodged, to this guide we should be bound to resort as a safeguard against erroneous interpretations. But in the absence of any such proof, an implicit deference to the interpretations of some earthly guide would be only substituting one man's caprice for another's. AVe have, however, in most cases a very safe guide, b}" looking to the sense in which the hearers of our Lord and his Apostles -understood them. For, as I have already remarked, we may fairly presume that this must have been, in any matter of vital im- portance, the true sense of what was said, unless a mistake was pointed out and corrected. Thus, as I observed just now, if the Apostles had been mis- taken in supposing — as they undoubtedly did — that what Jesus was holding in his hands and distri- buting to them, was not his own hteral body, but a symbolical representation of it, their mistake would have been corrected. Again, our Lord's ex- pression " Son of God," as applied to Himself, is one which indeed might conceivably have borne the meaning of his being merely a highly-favoured prophet. But we know that his judges did under- stand Him as claiming a divine character ; and if this had been a mistake of theirs, we may be sure He would have corrected it ; else He would have been bearing false witness concerning Himself. So also, if all the early Christians had been mistaken c 34 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE in their interpretation of anything that was said concerning our Lord's death, this their error would surely have been removed, and a different expla- nation given. Now, what they did understand there can be no rational doubt. The idea of re- demption by a sacrifice, however inexplicable, was one with which they were perfectly familiar ; and they could never have thought, unless expressly assured of it, that the real literal sacrifices of the Levitical Law were types, not of any real sacrifice, but of a figure of speech that " the shadow of good things to come," which that Law contained, was much more substantial than that which it re- presented. Nor could they (to revert to a former remark), familiar as they were with the idea of a feast upon a sacrifice, have thought that a mere martyrdom was to be celebrated by eating and drinking the symbols of the martyr's body and blood. The very same test, therefore, the appeal to what must have been understood at the time, serves to guard us against the opposite errors, of understanding figurative expressions literally, and of explaining away as a figure what was meant to be literally understood. § 13. As for the latter of these raslZteipts ^rrors, I have no doubt that the at explana- attempts of somc persons to interpret tioti, as mere metaphor all the declarations of Scripture concerning Christ's ofiering of Himself, have been greatly encouraged, and probably in OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 35 many instances caused, by unwise and presumptuous endeavours to explain what Scripture has left unex- plained, and to confirm what is there revealed to us, by reconciling it with theories of man's devising. For, when objections which at least appear to some to be unanswerable, are brought against any such theory, it is too late to resort to the plea that di\'ine mysteries are beyond the reach of our understanding, and that we must not venture to try them by the standard of human reason. Every one who brings forward a theory of his own, does in fact appeal to the tribunal of human reason, and binds himself to make his explanation intelligible and satisfactory. And when he fails to do this, the result will too often be that the doctrine itself which he seeks to elucidate and support by his explanations, will be supposed by many to be dependent on these, and will be rejected along with the untenable theory. It is our wiser and safer course, therefore, as well as the more modest and humble, to confine ourselves, in these matters, to the express declarations of the inspired writers, and to warn men against listening to any one who ventm-es to go beyond these — who presents us with " developments" (as they are some- times called) that are to fill up the omissions of Scripture, and who is thus in reality setting himself up as knowing more of the divine mysteries than was revealed to the Apostles, or at least more than they were commissioned to reveal to us. An humble, c z 3^ THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE unlearned Christian, of ordinary common sense, may understand that he is guilty of no arrogance in rejecting any such teacher, however learned and ingenious, and that he is bound to do so. None more learned or more ingenious are the generality of men likely to meet with than Bishop Butler, who thus expresses himself on this subject : " Christ offered Himself a propitiatory sacrifice, and made atonement for the sins of the world And this sacrifice was, in the highest degree, and with the most extensive influence, of that efficacy for obtaining pardon of sin, which the heathens may be supposed to have thought their sacrifices, and which the Jewish sacrifices were, in some degree, and with regard to some persons. Hoto, and in what particular way, it had this efficacy, there are not wanting persons who have endeavoured to explain; but I do not f?id that Scripture has ex- plained it." .... Again, " Some have endeavoured to explain the efficacy of what Christ has done and suffered for us, beyond what Scripture has autho- rized ; others, probably because they could not explain it, have been for taking it away, and confining his office of Eedeemer of the world, to his instruction, example, and government of the Church ; whereas the doctrine of the Gospel appears to be, not only that he taught the efficacy of repentance, but rendered it of the efficacy it is, by what He did and suffered for us And it is our wisdom thank- I'ully to accept the benefit, by performing the condi- OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 37 tions on wliicli it is offered, on our part, without disputing how it was procured, on his." Such is the soher statement of that truly great theologian, in his Analogy} He was one who sought to know no less, and was content to know no more, of divine mysteries inscrutable to Man's Reason, than the inspired writers tell us ; and he guarded against the error of those presumptuous speculators, who, when the illumination from Heaven — the rays of Revelation — fail to shed such full light as they wish for, on the Gospel dispensa- tion, are for bringing to the dial-plate the lamp of human philosophy. And it is important that you should point out to your people, when needful, how much allied arc the two opposite errors alluded to by Bishop Butler. It is a similar want of humble faith that leads one party to reject what they find it impossible to explain, and the other, to resolve to find an explana- tion of what they admit. % 14. These latter, even if their explanations were really as satisfactory 'iy^'^\(jfi°^cd as, to themselves, they may appear, ignorance of .„ Ti 1 11 divine myste- if they did possess some knowledge beyond that of the Apostles — or beyond, at least, what the Aj)ostles have imparted to us — yet could not, on that ground, claim the virtue of faith. For faith, it is plain, is to be measured 1 Part II., c. 5. 38 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE rather by our ignorance than by our knowledge. Some knowledge, indeed, there must be, as a foundation for any intelligent faith to rest on ; but the province of the faith itself, distinct from the basis on which it is built, must be that which we do not clearly understand. For " faith is the evidence of things not seen." There would be no proof of faith in assenting to truths which are plainly de- monstrated to our Eeason, or in obeying commands whose reasonableness was clearly perceived. Faith — as distinguished from blind credulity — is shown, in taking the word of another whom we have good reason to rely on, for something which we do not clearly see or fully understand. Any one who in a dark night, at sea, believes on the Pilot's word, that the ship is approaching the haven, shows more faith in that Pilot than others who fancy that they see the land before them. He may be convinced that they are deceiving themselves, and are gazing on a fog-bank, which they mistake for land; but, at any rate, they cannot claim superior or equal faith to his. You cannot, perhaps, better illustrate to your people this truth — which, evident as it is, is often overlooked — than by referring to the trial made of Abraham, whose pre-eminently-confident trust in God is so strongly dwelt on in Scripture. His trial was quite different (and this we should point out to our people, because it is sometimes strangely over- looked) from what a similar command would have OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 39 been to another man — to Noali, for instance, or to Moses — because, as is remarked in the Epistle to Hebrews, the command was seemingly at variance with the promise he had received, that " in Isaac shall thy seed be called but " he trusted that Grod was able to restore him even from the dead ;" and his faith and obedience were rewarded by the blessing pronounced; on which occasion doubtless it was, when he did receive his son from the dead in a figure [parabole] that he " saw the day of Jesus, and was glad." But if he had known beforehand how the transaction was to end, there would have been no trial of his faith, and no pre-eminent virtue in his obedience. He had the knowledge, indeed, on which his faith was based — the knowledge that he had received a promise, and also a command which appeared to nullify that promise; but how the two were to be reconciled, he was left ignorant till the trial was completed ; and it was in his firm trust in the promise, and ready compliance with the com- mand, while in that ignorance, that the virtue of his faith consisted. § 15. Such, then — we should point out to our hearers — is the example Abraham's held out by Scripture for our imitation, "^imiiaiedL^ of the faith of Abraham.^ If Abraham, * And, we should add, of Lsaac also. For though his is not expressly mentioned, it is evident that as he must have been a consenting party to the sacrifice, so he fully partook of the 40 THE RIGHT PBINC1PI,E instead of prompt and trustful compliance mtli the command, had set himself to devise interpretations of it, or demanded an explanation, he would have bewil- dered himself in presumptuous conjectures, and have forfeited the blessing. He had received a promise, and also a command seemingly at variance there- with, from One whom he had good reason fully to trust ; and he saw that it was his part not to raise questions about a divine command, but to obey it. Even thus, a dutiful and affectionate child of a wise and kind parent will say, " My father tells me to do so and so, and his will is reason enough for me. Doubtless there are good reasons, though unknown to me, for his command; and these he may perhaps hereafter explain to me ; but, in the meantime, it is my duty to obey." Such a child, we should observe, does not pre- sume to pronounce that his father has no reason for his command, except that such is his pleasure ; which would be to attribute to him caprice. On the contrary, he doubts not that there is good reason, both for giving the command, and for withholding the explanation of it. That such is the father's will, would be no good reason, to the father, for giving the command, but is a sufficient reason, to the child, for oheyiiirj it. Por the child, therefore, to insist on it that his fatlier liad no promised blessing ; which had reference to Abraham's posterity through him j for " in Tsaac shall thy seed be called." i OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 41 reasons, except his own will, for wliat he does, because he has not seen fit to make those reasons known, would be, not humility, but the height of rash presumption.^ And we ought, no less, to trust, as no doubt Abraham did, that the Most High has good reasons, even when not revealed to us, for all His deahngs with mankind. Why, and how, it was necessary that the inno- cent blood should be shed for Man's redemption, we know no more — at least, from what the Scrip- tures tell us — than Abraham did, why he was commanded to offer up his son. And if we are asked how we know that this sacrifice was necessary, we should answer, because the Scriptures assure us that it did take place. It must, therefore, have been necessary, under the actual circumstances. We have no right to frame any metaphysical theories to prove that this necessity would have existed under any other, quite different, or even opposite circum- stances. The actual state of things was, we know, ^ " Those," says Calvin (and the same language is to be found in the writings of many of his follower-s, and of Augustine's) "whom God j)asses by, He condemns; and that, for no cause whatever, excejil that He ciiusES to exclude them from the inhe- ritance" [" neque alia de causa nisi quod illos vult excludere."! This is called by such writers .setting forth the divine "sove- reignty and yet there is not even any earthly sovereign who would not feel himself insulted by having it said or insinuated, that, when he announces, " our will and pleasure is" so and so, he had, himself, no reason at all for the command issued, except that such was his will and pleasure. 42 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE that the majority of the Jewish nation refused to receive Jesus as the Christ; it being plainly the divine decree that they should not be compelled to receive Him against their will, by external force. And they thereupon condemned Him to death. We have no right to maintain that his death would have been necessary under the opposite supposition of a universal acceptance of his claims. On the contrary, we are expressly told by the in- spired writers, " I wot that throitgk ignorance ye did it; as did also your Rulers." (Acts iii.) ''Because they knew Him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets, they have fulfilled them in condemning them." " For if the princes of this world had known the wisdom of God, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory."* (i Cor. ii.) "It may be needful," (says Bishop Butler, in a note,) " to mention, that several questions which have been brought into the subject before us, and deter- mined, are not in the least entered into here ; ques- tions which have been, I fear, rashly determined, and perhaps with equal rashness, contrary ways. For instance, Wliether God could have saved the world by other means than the death of Christ, consistently with the general laws of his government? And had not Christ come into the world, what would have been the future condition of the better sort of men . . . . ? The meaning of the first of these questions is greatly ambiguous ; and neither of them can be answered, vt^ithout going upon that infinitely OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 43 absurd position, that we know the whole of the case. And perhaps the very inquiry, JFhat would have followed if God had not done as He has ? may have in it some impropriety."^ It is our part, then, to warn our people against mistaking for a pre-eminent faith what is rather a deficiency of faith, and, for humility, what is in reality presumptuous rashness ; and against being misled either by those who frame theories to explain what Scripture has left unexplained, or by those who, finding such theories untenable, reject what Scripture does assure us of.^ § 1 6. And the same really humble, unhesitating, submissive, and practical faith, in refe- faith which we are required to have in '"^'^''^ . . Eucharist. the atoning Sacrifice of the Son of God, 1 Anal., b. ii. c. 5. 2 Bvit seek not thou to understand The deep and ciirious lore With which full many a reckless hand Has gloss'd these pages o'er. Wait till He shall Himself disclose Things now beyond thy reach ; But listen not, my child, to those Who the Lord's secrets teach ; Who teach thee more than He has taught. Tell more than He revealed, Preach tidings which He never brought, And read what He left sealed. Bp. Hinds's Poems. 44 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE the same is called for in reference to tliat Feast on his sacrifice which we celebrate in the Eucharist ; the Ordinance which, as I just now observed, is not only a commemoration of his death, but also a strong confirmation of its sacrificial character. The nume- rous and distinct declarations, indeed, to that effect, of the Sacred Writers, would alone afford sufficient grounds for the conviction of the understanding ; but it has seemed good to divine wisdom that we should not be left to search out passages of Scrip- ture, and on these alone lay down the doctrine as a well-established Article of our Creed, but that we should moreover be continually reminded of it by the often-repeated celebration of a Eite which clearly implies the doctrine and forcibly impresses it on the mind. And as with respect to the doctrine itself, so also as to the Ordinance, which is a Seal and a Monu- ment of it, men have fallen into corresponding faults. While some have presumed — as I observed at the beginning — to frame theories not warranted by Scripture, others have been led, partly from that very cause, to reject or very much to neglect the Ordinance itself. Fanciful speculations respecting the nature of Substance and Accidents tend natu- rally to cast a discredit, in the minds of the rash and unthinking, on a divine Institution, which has been thus deformed by an admixture of human devices ; just as rash attempts at explanation of revealed mysteries that are quite beyond human OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 45 reason, have led to the rejection, along with the human theories, of the doctrines themselves which are revealed. Anything quite alien from all no- tions of natural Reason, it is allowable to regard so far with distrust, as to require that it should be fully established by a sufficient Scripture proof ; and if not so established, we do well to reject it. But if it does appear to be plainly declared in Scripture, it then becomes a reasonable and suitable trial of our faith. Reason itself would pronounce that there must be much in the counsels of the Most High that is beyond the reach of Reason ; and that posi- tive commands respecting things originally indiffe- rent, must justly claim obedience when coming from lawful authority. Fur if we are to believe merely what we can fully understand and explain, and to do merely what appears to natural conscience to be a duty, independently of any command, this would be to make the word of our divine Master go for nothing. § 17. But it is remarkable that we may sometimes find even the very same ^^"^["'(f^ Positive Du- persons objecting to what Scripture ties. reveals or enjoins, unless they can see reason for it independent of Scripture, and yet expecting to find in Scripture what is not contained in it — exact precepts for every point of moral conduct. One may sometimes find persons pleading, when they wish to evade some moral \_i..c., natural] duty. 46 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE that there is no injunction as to this or that in the Bible ; — that so and so is nowhere forbidden in Scripture ; as if we had no Moral Faculty, and were to expect in Scripture a distinct and complete enu- meration of things to be done and avoided, instead of the general precept, " AVhatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, and honest, and of good report, to think on those things." And then, again, some, and perhaps the very same persons, when positive precepts are in question, will ask what efficacy there can be in a sprinkling with water, or in partaking of bread and wine. Why, if these did possess any such natural efficacy as we know our ordinary food has for sustaining the natural life, there would be no trial of our obedient faith in doing what the Lord commands, simply on the ground of that command. If the water of the pool of Siloam had been some medicinal spring that had the natural virtue to cure blindness, the blind man would have given no proof of faith in using it. But if, because there was no such virtue, he had refused to do what he was told — or if, like Naaman the Syrian, he had claimed a preference for some other waters — he would have remained blind. But with respect to this point — I mean the dis- tinction between what are called moral [i.e., natural] duties and positive duties, — things commanded be- cause they are right, and things right because com- manded,— there exists in many minds a strange OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 47 confusion of tliougM. Any one who makes inquiries on the subject, for the first time, of those around him, will be surprised to find the extent to w^hich this confusion prevails, even among persons not uneducated, nor, generally, deficient in intelligence.* And if you take occasion from time to time to put before your people such explanations as may guard them against these indistinct and confused notions on the subject, your labour wiR not have been super- fluous or ill-applied. ^18. Far the greatest number, how- ever, are kept back from the Lord's i scruples. Table by a kind of misdirected reve- rential feeling of di*ead lest they should be " un- worthy" partakers ; as supposing that the ordinance is designed for those only who have attained to a certain perfection in holiness beyond what is re- quired of Christians generally. It is for us to take occasion to explain to them, not only from the pulpit, but also (as will often be more effectual) in private conversation, that the unworthiness which the Apostle, and which our Eeformers refer to, is a careless and irreverent partaking ; a fault which in former times appears to have been prevalent ; while in our own, a far different and rather opposite kind ^ The well-known " Assembly of Divines" at Westminster were men wliom even those wlio are far from accepting their dogmas, would not consider as destitute of intelligence or of learning. Yet on this point they seem to have been utterly abroad. 48 THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE of error is the one most to be guarded against. It will not be difficult to explain to any one wlio is really influenced by conscientious scruples, that, though it is true there would be sinful profanation in coming to the Lord's Table thoughtlessly, and without any sincere devotion, the same may be said of all divine worship, and the receiving of religious instniciion, and the perusal of the Scriptures. All these are duties, and so is the receiving of the Lord's Supper : and all these duties men ought to practise, voluntarily/, sincerely, and heartily. We ought to be far from wishing to compel any one (supposing that were in our power) to do any of these things against his will, or from urging him to go through the outward acts when his heart did not accompany them. But we should exhort men to pray and strive for those real sincere feelings of devotion which alone can make those acts well- pleasing to God. And in confirmation of anything we om'selves may urge, when seeking to allay groundless scruples, we have the advantage of being able to direct the attention of our hearers to the written words of the Communion Service itself, which disclaims all trust in our own rij^hteousness — all meritorious " worthi- ness to gather up the crumbs of the Lord's Table." And we should remind them also of the words of the Catechism respecting what is required of those who partake of this Sacrament. It can be easily explained to any one who is sincerely well disposed, OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 49 that it is not the communicant alone, but every Christian who would hope for God's favour, that is required to " examine himself whether he repent him truly of his former sins, steadfastly purposing to lead a new life, and to have a lively faith in God's mercy through Christ, with a thankful re- membrance of his death, and to be in charity with all men." Preparation for the Lord's Table, there- fore, he can easily be brought "to perceive, is the same as preparation for the whole christian life, and for a christian death, and for a joyful resur- rection. The communicant, consequently, does not take on himself any new obligation that did not lie on him before. He will, indeed, be the more liJcely to lead a christian life, from his availing him- self of the appointed means of grace ; but the obli- gation to lead such a life is absolute and complete already. And it would be a manifest absurdity to imagine that a happy immortality could be attained on some different and easier terms by those who withdraw from the Lord's Table ; that a refusal to comply with one of his commandments would ex- empt men from obedience to the rest of them. Any one, therefore, who deems himself not good enough to receive this Sacrament, and accordingly absents himself, waiting till he shall become better prepared, is acting as the prodigal son in the para- ble would have done if, instead of arising at once to go to his father, he had waited till he should be in a more prosperous condition, when it was his THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE father only that coukl supply food and raiment to the destitute retm-ning outcast. All this being what hardly any one would de- liberately deny, it is found accordingly that most of the non-communicants have a design to communicate at some future time before their death. And they seem to suppose that he who shall have done this will have sufficiently complied with our Lord's injunction. You will find many a one, accordingly, who will need to be earnestly and repeatedly re- minded that every time he refuses the invitation to partake of the Lord's Supper, he is committing a fresh sin — a distinct act of disobedience to his divine Master. And, therefore, instead of pre- paring himself to be a more " meet partaker" of the heavenly feast, he is habitually aHenating him- self jnore and more from his Saviour, by thus resisting, time after time, his repeated calls. Others again, and not a few, we meet with, who do present themselves at the Lord's Table on some solemn occasions of rare recurrence, and who con- sider this as absolutely preferable to an habitual and frequent attendance, from finding that their devotional feelings are more strongly excited by a celebration that takes place at long intervals. But we should remind them that (though this is un- doubtedly true) if they were to act on such a con- sideration throughout, they would discontinue daily prayer, and habitual attendance on all public wor- ship ; since these would certainly more strongly OF THE IXTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 51 affect the feelings if tliey were of very rare occur- rence. But tlie object to be aimed at is, we should point out to them, not an occasional, fervid, and probably transitory emotion, but an habitual, ef- fectual, and lasting influence on the whole character, and daily life ; — not a passing gleam of enthusiasm, but a steady daylight that shall enlighten our path and guide our steps. § 19. Such errors as I have adverted to you will often, as I have said, be the Confirmation best able to combat in private con- ■>^'ith the Eu- charist. versations, adapted to the peculiar habits of thought and tone of feeling of each individual. And of all the occasions for doing this, none can be more suitable than that of preparing young persons for the Eite of Confirmation. For the earlier any erroneous notions are counteracted, the less is the danger of their leading to an inveterate practical habit. It is of great importance, therefore, that those confirmed should have the earliest possible opportunity of attending at the Lord's Table, and should be earnestly pressed to avail themselves of it at once. And you will then be able to correct the mistake, which is sometimes to be met with even in religious parents, of imagining that a young person may be unfit, in point of religious knowledge or of feeling, for receiving the Eucharist, and yet fit to be presented for Confirmation. It may easily be ex- plained to them that, as this "is manifestly a ground- less notion, at variance with all reason, so it is no THE RIOHT PRINCIPLE less at variance with the decisions of our Church. That all the members of the Church should be Com- municants, is not only in many places implied, but is expressly laid down in a Eubric. And the only limitation given of this word " all" is, where it is enacted that those only shall come to the holy Table who have " been coi^jirmed, or are ready and desirous to be confirmed which plainly implies that at least all who have been confirmed are bound to attend that Table. This we should take care to impress on the minds of our people. And, uni- versally, we should use all the means in our power for removing every obstacle, of whatever kind, to that full and frequent attendance at the Lord's Table which our Eeformers, in conformity with apostolic usage, manifestly designed,' I do cherish a hope — a hope in some degree fortified by experience — that by sedulously availing ourselves of such occasions as I have been adverting to, we may at least somewhat diminish that great ' The great length of the entii-e Church-Service, ■when the Euchai'ist is administered, probably tends to foster the notion that our Reformers — since they could not have designed any- thing physically impossible — could not liave meant that all the parishioners should be regular communicants. In some popu- lous parishes accordingly there is, several times in a year, an early celebration, at which the Communion-Service alone is used. And this, besides other advantages, tends to do away that notion just alluded to. On another point connected with the same subject, there are some I'emarks in Bishop CophstorCs Remains. OF THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. 53 and crying evil, tlie open practical neglect by a large proportion of our congregations, of an acknowledged duty : an evil which you must have often contem- plated both with grief for the individuals, and with shame on account of the scandal it brings on our Church. At any rate, let no exertions be wanting on our part to set before our people what their duty is, " whether they will hear or whether they will forbear so that we, at least, may not be charge- able with neglecting our own duty, and may be " pure from the blood of all men." § 20. Another point there is, on which, however, I shall not now enlarge, f '""^•^ f'"" ' ' o ' dance at wherein most of you have reason to Church. complain of a considerable portion of your congregations ; I mean the practice of enter- ing a place of worship after — sometimes very long after — the Service is begun. On this subject, I published some time ago an Address, which some of you may perhaps find it useful to circulate, with the addition of such remarks of your own as may occur to you; setting forth not only the irreverence to God which the practice in question manifests, and the disturbance and disgust caused to tlio more punctual worsliippers, but also the scandal brought on our Church in the eyes of " them that are without." And, moreover, I am inclined to think that if tliis fault were corrected, a portion at least of the painful disputes and complaints with which some of you are 54 THE RIGHT PRIXCIPLE, ETC. occasionally troubled relative to sittings in cliurcli would be diminished or removed. For, those who find seats pre-occupied which they have been accus- tomed to, and to which they believe themselves to have a right, may be brought to consider how un- reasonable it must seem to a punctual attendant to be required to leave seats unoccupied for the possible use of those who absent themselves till perhaps nearly half the Service is over. „ §21. I take this opportunity of men - Hymns. . . tioning — though to most of you, jDro- bably, it is already known — that a collection of Hymns has just been published by the Association, which it would be very desirable should be generally adopted, with a view to bring about something of uniformity in that important portion of public worship. The selection has been made with great care, so as to insert those Hymns only which have been most generally approved, as best adapted to congregational use. And the price fixed is so very low as to enable almost all persons to provide them- selves with copies. NOTE A (to p. ii). Of course the same divine authority which instituted the Sacraments, may modify or annul them. And accordingly if any one declares that they are no longer to be literally cele- brated, professing to be " moved by the Spirit" to say so (which is precisely equivalent to the expression of the ancient Pro- phets, "th\is saith the Lord"), he is to be obeyed, jjrovided he gives the requisite proof of his divine commission by the display of those sensible mii'acles which were " the signs of an Apostle." But in the absence of any such proofs, such a pretender and his followers must be accounted guilty of a most profane pre- sumption. Barclay, in his Apology, notices the demand made of such miraculous proofs from those of his persu;ision. And he attempts to meet the objection founded on the want of those proofs; which indeed was no more than needful ; since the claim to a direct commission from Heaven is the very key-stone of their whole system — the one first link of the chain on which the whole depends. He alleges that there is no need of miracles to confirm their doctrines : since these are what viere tauylvt by the Apostles, who did establish their claim by miraculous proofs. But this holds good only with respect to doctrines admitted by all Cliris- tians. When any interpretation is taught wherein Christians are not agreed, and is declared to be established by a direct divine I'evelation, miraculous proof is needed of the truth of that interpretation. Thus, no fresh miraculous sign was recjuired to convince the Jews of the divine authority of tiieir prophetical writings ; but when these were interpreted to denote the admis- 5^ NOTE. sion of "the Gentiles to be fellow-beU-s," wliicli the Jews did not acknowledge, then a miraculous proof was needed, and was accordingly/ given (Acts xi.), of this interpretation. But to assume that a certain doctrine, contrary to what is generally received, is that of the Apostles, and thence to infer that those who teach it are inspired, is a most palpable begging of the question. THE END. THOUGHTS THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER. A CHARGE, DELrVEKED AT THE VISITATIONS OF THE DIOCESES OF DUBLIN AND GLANDELAGH, AND KILDARE, JUNE, 1858. By RICHARD WHATELY, D.D. ASCBBISHOP OF DUBLIN. I CoK. IT. 14. LONDON : JOHN W. PAEKER AND SON, WEST STRAND. DUBLIN : HODGES AND SMITH, GRAFTON STREET. 1858. LONDON : SAVILL AND EDWARDS, PRINTERS, CHANDOS STREET, CO'»'ENT GARDEN. CONTENTS. PAGE §1. Duty of giving religious instruction 5 § 2. Explanation of the Prayer Book 7 § 3. Suggested alterations 8 § 4. Common Prayer 12 § 5. Extemporaneous Px'ayers 14 § 6. Joint- worship 16 § 7. Absence of Liturgies in Scriptures 20 § 8. Comments 21 § 9. Creeds 22 § 10. Communion Service 25 §11. " Mysteries" and " Testament" 28 §12. Obsolete words 30 §13. Explanatory teaching the least admired .... 32 A 2 A CHARGE, ETC. My Reverend Brethren, § I. I have many times called your attention to the duty of Duty of giving giving religious instruction to the struction. People; not as imputing to you any negligence in that point, but because it is not only the most important (all would, I suppose, admit it to be one of the most important) of our duties, but what may be said to characterize our office, as established by the Apostles, and maintained in our Church, and as distinguished from the office of the sacerdotal priest under the Levitical law, and of the priest in the unreformed churches, whose chief function is, not so much instruction, as the offering of a supposed sacrifice on behalf of the people, and the administering of (supposed) sacraments.' In our Church, indeed, as in almost all others, the administration of the Sacraments is generally committed (very naturally and properly) to the clergy. It is a thing evidently suitable that a Christian Minister should take the lead in the See Note A at the eud. 6 DUTY OF GIVING RELIGIOUS INSTKUCTION. public worship, and especially in the most solemn portion of it, the celebration of the Sacraments. But it is remarkable that all the Apostle Paul says in his Epistles to Timothy and to Titus of the duties of Christian ministers (which is not a little), has reference to the instruction of the people, and contains no allusion to the administra- tion of the Sacraments. And this certainly does seem to indicate at least what he considered as the most essential portion of their officfe. In reference to this business of instruction, I dwelt in my last Charge on the necessity and the importance of giving your people explanations of Scripture, instead of confining yourselves to merely hortatory discourses, or statements of christian doctrine, derived indeed from Scripture, but given in your own words. The Inspired Writers, I re- marked to you, if they are but fully understood, will preach the Gospel more effectually than we can. And though I did not mean to impute to you a neglect of this highly important portion of a pastor's duty, I thought it the more needful to be earnestly dwelt on, because there is, in this, so so much less room for the display of striking eloquence, — so much less of immediate effect pro- duced,— though the effect is likely to be more lasting — than in discourses of a different character, that there will often be a danger of giving too little attention to the explanatory branch of our teaching, unless the importance of it be from time to time brought strongly before the mind. EXPLANATIONS OF THE PRAYER-BOOK. 7 § 3. And what has been said con- cerning explanations of the Scriptures, Explanations will equally apply to explanations of Prayer the Prayer-Book. As the benefit of Scripture is so far diminished in proportion as parts of it are indistinctly or erroneously under- stood, so the benefit of our Church- Services is impaired to those who do not "pray with the spirit, and pray with the understanding also." And it would be a mistake to conclude that no elucidations of anything in the Prayer-Book are needed except for persons who come forward -with objections, or with complaints of perplexity. On the contrary, very great familiarity with the words of any composition will frequently cause men to overlook their own imperfect apprehension, or mis- apprehension, of the sense. The earlier any one has been taught to repeat forms of words of which he does not understand the meaning, the greater will be the difiiculty of subsequent explanation, and the less likely he will be to seek for, or to perceive that he needs, any explanation. If you inquire of some persons what they understand by such and such passages, which they have heard and read many hundred times, and perhaps can readily repeat by rote, you will be surprised, — and perhaps they themselves also, no less, — to find how indistinct and confused are the notions they have formed of the meaning. For, in all matters, fami- liar acquaintance is apt to be mistaken for accurate knowledge. 8 SUGGESTED ALTERATIONS. What I have been saying, every minister will be able to confirm from his own experience, who has been in the habit of much personal intercourse with various classes of his people. And without such intercourse, he cannot be a competent instructor. Whatever his learning and ability, he will be (as I lately remarked to you) like a physician under- taking to practise from mere book-knowledge, without having ever visited a sick-chamber. And if he has had intercourse only with certain classes, — if, for instance, he has conversed only with adults of the higher orders, and not with children and the uneducated, — he will be deficient as an instructor, in reference to these latter. Neither his oral nor his written instructions will be well-suited to them. And (as I observed in my last Charge) if you should meet with any one who maintains that he himself, or that another, who has had little or nothing of such intercourse with the humbler classes, is qualified either to give lectures, or to write books, well-fitted for their instruction, you may conclude that (if he really means what his words express) he is altogether an incompetent judge of the subject. § 3. As for the questions which have alt^ations. ^^^^ excited much and continually increasing interest, respecting a sug- gested revision of our Prayer-Book, on these I shall not at present enter. You are doubtless well aware how fully and how earnestly, many years ago, both I and my much valued friend, SUGGESTED ALTERATIONS. 9 ! Bishop Dickinson, dwelt on the importance of our being provided with some kind of government for the Church, distinct from that of Parliament; which is, and which is manifestly conscious of being, — unfitted for that office.^ What we advo- cated was, not a mere temporary Commission, expressly and avowedly established for the remedy of some specific alleged evils, — which is likely to be more alarming to men's minds, and at the same time must fall short of what is needed, — but, some power that should be competent, in all points, to inquire and to decide (subject, always, to the control of the Civil Legislature) — whether any, and what, regu- lations or alterations are needed. This, we re- marked, would be likely not only to provide remedies, when wanted, for any actually existing inconveniences, but also to give increased satisfac- tion and confidence as to a multitude of points wherein no change would be proposed ; since men would understand that (as is the case in secular matters) whatever was left unaltered was so left, not because there was no power to alter it, but from a deliberate judgment that the alteration would not be desirable. It was urged, on the other side, and with perfect truth, that there are difficulties and objections in the way of every proposed plan for accomplishing * See Charge of 1844. Bishop Dickinson's Appeal in fwoour of Churcli-government, first published as a pamphlet, is reprinted in the Remains. (Fellowes, Ludgate-street). lO SUGGESTED ALTERATIONS. such an object. And this consideration might be accepted as decisive, if there were no objections, — no evils of any kind — on the opposite side; or if these latter were not still greater, and were not continually on the increase. The difficulties in our way are undoubtedly not only great, but much greater than they were a century and a half ago; and were greater then, than when the illus- trious Bacon wrote on the subject; who remarked that to represent continual revision as needful indeed, in secular concerns, but that ecclesiastical matters required none, would be like maintaining that though houses and castles need being repaired from time to time, churches and chapels will stand for ever without repair. And it may be added, that the now existing difficulties, great as they are, are yet short of what will present themselves some years hence, when the urgency of the call for encountering them will have increased in a still greater proportion. When one of the valleys of Switzerland was transformed, not many years ago, into a vast lake, through the damming up of a river by a glacier, it would have been no wise policy for the neighbour- ing people below to wait in tranquil security till the barrier should burst of itself. If they had begun earlier than they did, to cut channels through the ice for letting off the water, their work, though not without difficulties and risks, would have been easier and far more effectual. As it was, they did set themselves to the work. SUGGESTED ALTERATIONS. II though later than was desirable. The barrier did burst before they had completed their task; but the damage done, though very great, was not more than, probably, a fourth part of what would have ensued, had they left matters to take their own course. Those persons are at least consistent, however mistaken, who while complaining of certain alleged defects in our Bible Version, or in our Formularies, suggest, whether wisely or unwisely, — some reme- dial measures : and the same may be said of those who deprecate every change, from a conviction that everything is in a satisfactory state. But those are surely deserving of blame Avho are always complaining of some supposed faults, while they strenuously oppose every measure by Avhich it is possible that a remedy can be applied. They are inconsistent, and culpably so, in the strictest sense of the word. Any evil or inconvenience to which you not only expect that no remedy will be applied, but are resolved that, as far as lies in you, none ever shall be applied, — this, you ought to submit to in patient silence, as to an unfavourable season, or an incurable disease, instead of making com- plaints of which the only tendency is to produce fruitless discontent. Sometimes, however, we are told that the present time is ill-suited for taking such and such steps, because there are parties within the Church ; as if any reasonable man could look forward to a time when parties should no longer exist ! And I have 12 COMMON PRAYER. even seen an argument against any revision of our Authorized Version of Scripture as yet, on the ground that all the existing MSS. of the Original have not yet been collated, and that all scholars are not as yet agreed as to all the readings to be preferred, and the renderings to be ado})ted. It argues great simplicity, if not something worse, to profess readiness to adopt a certain course when certain events shall have taken place, which we may be sure will be as far olf a century hence as now. Such reasoners — or at least those who listen to them — may remind one of the rustic alluded to by Horace, who stood on a river's brink, waiting till all the water should have flowed by. But not to detain you longer on matters which I have fully discussed long since, I will only add that a remark I made last year in reference to the Authorized Version of Scripture, is equally appli- cable to the Prayer-Book; viz., that whether altera- tions, greater or less, or none at all, be made in it, there must always be need of explanations of it, to a large portion at least of our People ; and these it must always be an important part of our duty to supply. § 4. I would suggest, that, as a pre- Common liminarv to any exposition of par- Prayer. j j l 1 ticular portions of any of our Services, it will be advisable to offer some remarks on the design and character, generally, of a Book of Common Prayer — beginning, as one might say, your expla- COMMON PRAYER. ^3 nations with the title-page ; for the very meaning of that title-page is, by some of the least-educated portion of our congregations, not understood, and by some others not sufficiently attended to. You will find, I apprehend, on inquiry, that some of the most untaught and unthinking understand by Common Prayer that which is in ordinary use and will need to have it pointed out to them that what is called in the Prayer of Chrysostom " our common supplications," is the united supplication of the con- gregation— that which they agree in offering up. Many, however, who are not so ignorant as to make the mistake now alluded to, will yet be often found not to have sufficiently attended to the full force of the words " Common Prayer," and the high im- portance of what they denote. They will need to be reminded that the use of a Book of Common Prayer in our own language is one of the charac- teristics of our Church, distinguishing it, on the one hand, from those churches — of which there are several — in which the prayers are read by the minister in a tongue not understood by the people ; and, on the other hand, from all those communities which have no fixed form of prayer at all, but in which the people have to Ksten to the extempo- raneous effusions of their pastor. These two latter systems, though widely different in some respects, yet agree in this, — that neither of them can carry out, except very imperfectly (if at all), the design of congregational joint- Avorship ; 14 EXTEMPORANEOUS PRAYERS. since, in each, the people — at least' the far greater part of them — are rather overhearing another man's prayer, than uniting in prayer themselves. In the Romish, the Armenian, the Coptic, and the Russian Churches, although the learned few — perhaps one in a hundred — may understand the language of the Service, the mass of the congregation will be, as the Apostle Paul expresses it, " Barbarians to him that speaketh, and he that speaketh a barbarian to them." § 5. And in the case of extempo- Extemporaneous it t i ,1 Prayers raneous prayer delivered by the mi- nister, it is likely, though understood, not to be so understood by the people as to be adopted as their own address to the Most High, but rather as an address to themselves by their minister. And, accordingly, it generally is very much of the character of a sermon thrown into the form of a prayer, and more of an exhortation or instruction to the congregation, than a petition offered up jointly by them. The very novelty which causes them the more easily to keep up their attention without any wanderings of thought (which is the chief difficulty with us who use fixed forms) — this very novelty, I say, makes it next to impossible that they should, more than very partially and im- perfectly, so go along with what is spoken as to make it their own at the moment. When, indeed, a minister who habitually officiates in the same congregation makes a practice of con- EXTEMPORANEOUS PRAYERS. 1 5 stantly introducing the same topics, nearly in the same order and in the same words, this amounts in practice to a fixed form of prayer, only recited from memory. The difference is, that it is the composition of the individual pastor, and has not the distinct and deliberate sanction of a Church. Now, to compose a sermon, and to compose a prayer for congregational use, are not so completely on the same footing that every one who is compe- tent to either must be equally so to both. For a sermon may be on the whole edifying, though con- taining some passages which part of the hearers may not fully assent to, or even some which they may be right in not assenting to. And, at any rate, they are not themselves parties to it, or re- quired to adopt it as their own. But as far as this is the case with a prayer^ so far it fails of the object of being the joint prayer — the " common supplica- tion"— of the congregation. Several authors have written in vindication of the allowahleness of forms of prayer ; adducing the example of the Jemsh Church, sanctioned, as it appears to have been, by our Lord, who Himself taught a form to his disciples ; and also the practice of the early Christian Churches. And, again, many have urged, and with good reason, the great utility of established forms of prayer in preserving sound doctrines that are embodied in those forms, and bringing them habitually before the minds of the 1 6 JOINT WORSHIP. people, so as to act as a safeguard against any cor- ruption or any omission, of Gospel-truths. For want of such a safeguard, some religious communities have, it is well known, gradually slid into a religious system the most opposite to what was held by their first founders.^ Many, again, have dwelt on the excellence of our own particular Liturgy, and on its superiority to what the far greater part of christian ministers would be likely to pour forth extempore. All these are topics not unprofitable to be noticed. § 6. But the point which should be Joint Worship. - ^ n t the most prominently put lorward and dwelt on, is the solemn promise of our gracious Lord that " where even two or three are gathered together in his Name, He will be in the midst of them." And He plainly teaches us the purport of that promise, as relating not to the mere meeting together in the same building, but to their coming together for joint prayer ; " agreeing together touch- ing something they shall ask in his Name :" a kind of agreement which can but very imperfectly, if at all, take place, without the use of established and known Forms of Prayer. This consideration you can easily show to be far the most important of all, and in truth decisive of the whole question. And yet it is remarkable that it has been not seldom ^ See Cautions for the Times, No. 24. I JOINT WORSHIP. 17 overlooked. Among others, the celebrated Scotch Reformer, John Knox, though he was so far from disapproving of Forms of Prayer as not allowable, that he actually drew up one for the usq. of his own church, yet left the employment of it optional with each minister. He seems to have designed it as an aid to those ministers who had not what is called the "gift of prayer;" just as our Homilies were drawn up for those not qualified to be preachers. And he might have foreseen that no pastor would be likely to proclaim his own deficiency by re- sorting to such an aid. The consequence was, of course, the universal adoption of extempore Prayers, which are open to the objection I have adverted to. The book, however, called the Directory^ put forward by the Republican Parliament, as designed to supersede the Prayer Book, leaves everything to the extemporaneous effusions of the minister. It merely gives admonitions as to the general charac- ter of the prayers and of the sermons. Of the book I have alluded to, copies are extremely rare ; which is a remarkable circumstance, considering how many thousand copies of it must have been at one time in circulation. But to those Avho have access to public libraries, it will be worth while to inspect it, in order (among other things) to observe liow completely it is sheltered against all that host of objections — whether well or ill-founded — which B JOINT WORSHIP. have been brought, or may be brought, agahist various passages in our Prayer-Book,^ No cavil can be urged against any prayer in the Directory^ .because it contains none. It merely directs, in general terms, that the prayers (as well as the sermon) shall be intelligible, and scriptural, and pious, and edifying, and so forth; directions Avhich no one can object to, but which can be no guide to any one. If a physician were to tell a patient that he ought to take proper medicines, and to use a suitable diet, no one indeed could say that this ought not to be done; but the instruction would be as unprofitable as it is unexceptionable. But if any minister to whom that book had been issued as his guide, delivered prayers that were unsound in doctrine, or unedifying, the blame would be laid on /«m, individually, not on the book ; because that^ it would be urged, had charged him to let his prayers be scriptural and edifying. Of any fault, on the other hand — real or imaginary — that may be found, or fancied, in our prayers, the blame is thrown, not on the minister, but on the book itself, and on the Church which sanctions it. And, indeed, a similar kind of unfair advantage to that which I have been describing is enjoyed by the opponents of Christianity, many of whom in the present day have adopted a fashion of professing themselves Christians, while they censure and See Cautions for the Times, No. 25. JOINT WORSHIP. 19 deride every kind of what they call "book-reve- lation," and would have each man set up himself as a kind of prophet to himself. When I speak of the similarity of the two cases, I do not, of course, mean to put our Prayer-Book on a level with Scripture, or to claim for it infallibility. But they agree in being both hooks ; and no book ever existed, or can exist, against which objections may not be brought — attacks either in the form of open and deliberate censure, or of half- disguised sneer, such as sometimes appear in popular Journals. As we all know, objections have been urged against the Bible — objections from which those who urged them are completely sheltered by, themselves, referring to no book at all for Avhich any one is to be held responsible except the individual writer.^ We should do well, therefore, to warn our people against being misled by an immunity from imme- diate and direct censure, which is purchased by the danger of much ultimate evil and by the sacrifice of much utility. They should be reminded (to take an example from secular matters) that we enjoy a great advantage in living under a constitutional government and fixed laws. Not that our consti- tution professes to be perfect, or our laws exempt from all inconveniences, or that we ought not to seek by legitimate means to remedy any imperfec- tions; but that we are incomparably better off than See Note B at the end. B 2 20 ABSENCE OF LITURGIES IN SCRIPTURE. the subjects of despotic monarchies, in which the sovereign, and the officers appointed by him, com- mand, and enact, and decide, in all cases, at their own discretion. Yet these are completely sheltered, by the absence of fixed laws and constitutions, against all such objections as they might allege (sometimes with plausibility) against ours. § 7. I would suggest, in the next Absence of pjace, that it will be advisable to call Liturgies in ^ ' Scripture. the attention of your people to the absence of Liturgies, Creeds, and Cate- chisms in Scripture. Of this subject I have long since treated very fully, pointing out what a decisive evidence is afforded of the superhuman guidance under which the sacred Writers of the New Testament must have lived, from their omission of what, humanly speaking, it was morally impossible they should (all of them) have omitted. And I also called attention to the superhuman wisdom shown, in providing, indeed, in Scripture sufficient instruc- tion in the fundamental doctrines of our religion (which are unchangeable), but leaving to each Church the drawing up of such Offices for public worship, such safeguards against particular he- resies, and such catechetical instructions, as should be judged best suited to each particular age and country. But whatever may be any one's private opinion, either as to the merits of our Prayer-Book in par- ticular, or as to the use of any prayer-book at all, COiMMENTS. 21 it is plain that every Minister of a Church which does use fixed Forms is bound, not only to adhere to them, but to put before his People, from time to time, such comments and explanations as may be needed. § 8, These comments and explana- Comments. tions will tall naturally under two heads : — ( i . ) In reference to the design and general drift of each of the several portions of our Services ; and (2.) In reference to the meaning of particular passages that may be obscure, or liable to misappre- hension, either from the occurrence of obsolete words, or from any other cause. With respect to the former of these heads, most of you probably have found in the course of your experience, that as children and others of the more ignorant require to be informed, so the better-edu- cated classes need to be frequently and earnestly reminded, that some of the prayers are appointed to be said by the People along with the Minister, and others by him alone in the name and on behalf of the People ; they giving audibly their assent, and signifying their adoption of what is said, by the solemn Amen, or other response appointed. The duty of thus joining and taking the proper part in the public worship, some appear to be utterly igno- rant of, while others, who know better, are too often careless and neglectful of it. And most of you, I fear, will have had the painful and mortifying office of admonishing many 22 CREEDS. of your People concerning the gross irreverence of habitually absenting themselves from a large por- tion of the Service, and dropping in, from time to time, in the midst of it ; as if the sermon were the only matter of any importance. In the Pastoral admonition on this subject, which I circulated not very long since, I expressed a hope and belief that those who are guilty of this fault are not guilty of it through a wilful and designed irreverence towards the Most High, and would not wish to hold up our religion to the scorn of our Eoman Catholic and other dissenting countrymen, but act as they do from mere thoughtlessness. But you should assi- duously and earnestly press on their attention that in such a case as this, careless thoughtlessness amounts to a sin of no small magnitude. On this subject, however, I need not now enlarge further, as the Tract just alluded to is in your hands. § 9. Among the portions of our Ser- vices of which the design and general purport may need some explanation or remark, I will particularize the Creeds. That a Creed is something of a totally different character from a Prayer, some persons who have not had much of the requisite experience, might think it superfluous even to mention to any one; and they might be surprised, and almost incredulous, on being told that not only by Roman Catholics, but by many of the ignorant among Protestants, it is a practice to CREEDS. 23 recite the Apostles' Creed even as a part of their private devotions. But amono; those who are far better taught than to confound a profession of faith in certain doc- trines with an address to the Almighty, you will find not a few who suppose a Creed to be designed as a summary of aU the most essential points of Christian Faith, And this misapprehension is the more needful to be guarded against, because it does appear that the framers of our Services — at least of the Baptismal Service, and the Catechism — must have regarded the Apostles' Creed as a compendium of necessary christian doctrine. And this mistake has been fostered by the writings of some very well-known Divines of much learnino; and ino-e- nuity, but who have taken altogether a wrong view of the subject.^ The fact probably is that they had in their minds so strong an association of our Lord's Sonship with his Divine Nature^ and of his death^ with his atone- ment^ that it never occurred to them to examine carefully whether these doctrines were distinctly stated, or clearly implied, in the Creed: a Creed which may be, and I believe is, adopted by Soci- nians. These, moreover, are likely to argue from the omission of any such doctrine in the earliest Creed, that it was not held in the Primitive Church. ^ See WiiEATLEY, ch. iii. § 14. See also Cautions for tJie Times, No. 25. I 24 CREEDS. And the argument admits of no answer, from those who consider a Creed as a summary of all essential doctrines. It is of vital importance, therefore, to explain to our People that this is quite an erroneous view; that the object of a Creed is, not to instruct men in all points of Gospel truth, but to guard against the heresies most prevalent in each age and country. Creeds, therefore, correspond not to the houses Ave build as our dwelling-places, but rather to the sea-walls which are erected to protect this or that part of the coast from the encroachments of the ocean. And according to this view (which you may easily show to be undoubtedly the correct one) the omission of certain doctrines in the earliest Creed, goes to prove, not that they were not held^ but that they had then never been doubted. The heresies of the first Ages were quite of a different character. And the point then needing to be in- sisted on was not the divine nature, but the human nature of the Lord Jesus ; not the atoning character of his sacrifice, but the reality of his death. For this, as you are doubtless well aAvare, was denied by those early heretics called Docetae, whose strange theory is still maintained by above eighty millions of persons, who acknowledge Jesus to have been the true Messiah : the Mahometans, who have it as a tradition. It will be desirable, again, to point out to your People that the Creeds liave, according to our Church, no independent authority, nor any claim to 1 COMMUNION SERVICE. 25 reception derived from General Councils, or Tradi- tion, but rest only on their conformity to Scripture ; as our Reformers have been careful to set forth in the Article on Creeds. § 10. With respect to the Communion Service, most of you probably will have Commumon before now found it needful to explain to your People the design and general drift of the exhortation. That has often been so understood as to deter altogether many persons from attending at the Lord's Table, under the idea that if they are conscious of sinfulness they would be " eating and drinking damnation to themselves" as unworthy partakers. It is not difficult, and it is highly im- portant to explain that the unworthiness which the Apostle and which our Reformers had in view, was that careless irreverence of which, in the present day, there is little or no danger: the prevailing fault among us being the lamentable neglect of tlie holy ordinance. Certainly any stranger coming among us from some distant land, when he saw the multitudes pouring out of our Churches, when the celebration of the Lord's Supper is about to com- mence— a multitude whose coming to the Church at all proves that they are not unbelievers, nor totally careless of religious duties — would not fail to conclude that Christianity is not one religion, but two distinct ones; that for communicants, and that for non-commuuicants. And if he were then assured that all these persons agreed in acknow- COMMUNION SERVICE. lodging as their divine Master and Redeemer Him whose last injunction, confessedly extending to all his followers, they deliberately and habitually dis- regarded, he would be almost disposed to disbelieve this assurance as incredible. It would be foreign from my present purpose to say more on this painful subject, especially as I have so lately treated fully of it. I will only add that I trust you will persevere (not disheartened by any failures) in your efforts to remove, or at least lessen, this grievous scandal to our Church, and which is at the same time so perilous to the souls of its members. With a view to this object, one most advantageous occasion is afforded in the preparation of candidates for Confirmation : an oc- casion of which I believe most of you have often availed yourselves, and with good effect.^ ^ The number of candidates confirmed this summer was 1878, This opportunity is the more advantageous, from the practice I have always adopted, of administering the Lord's Supper im- mediately after the Confirmation, and as a part of the Service. This tends (besides other advantages) to guard against the notion of Confirmation's being a distinct Sacrament, or of any one's being fit for the one Rite, and not for the other. And as I have always taught that the persons confirmed ought to receive the Communion on the earliest possible opportunity, so, I feel bound in consistency to set them the example of adhering to the like rule. If they are bound to receive it on the eai*liest opportunity, we are bound to administer it on the earliest possible opportunity. And it is very satisfactory to observe how many of the rest of the congregation come forwai-d on these occasions, to attend, some of them for the first time, at the Lord's Table. COMIVIUNION SERVICE. 27 There are in the Communion Service some passages on which, though they are not at all obscure, it will be desirable to make a remark, in order to call the attention of your People to the general design of our Reformers in the words they have employed : I mean the passages in which they have introduced the word " Sacrificed They were anxious to guard against the doctrine taught in the unreformed Church, of what is called " the Sacrifice of the Mass :" the doctrine that the literal material body of the Lord Jesus is actually offered up by the Priest when he celebrates the Eucharist ; and that accordingly there is daily made, in thousands of places, that sacrifice which Scripture distinctly assures us was made " once for all," and whose efficacy is there set forth expressly on the very ground of its not needing to be (like the typical sacrifices under the law) repeated again and again. To guard against this doctrine, and also, it would seem, against that other notion which some adopted, of the Eucharist being a sacrifice of bread and wine offered up to God, our Reformers not only advert (in the Consecration Prayer) to the " one oblation of Christ once offered by Himself," but also introduce the word, in a different and figurative sense, in the Offertory, and again twice in one of the concluding prayers; speaking of the sacrifice of our aZm5(" with which God is well pleased") — the sacrifice of our prayers., and the offering up of " ourselves to be a rational, holy, and 28 "mysteries" and "testament." living sacrifice." It was not thought enough to abstain from all mention of any such thing as the Sacrifice of the Mass; but every other and true sense in which the word sacrifice could be rightly employed is resorted to, in order to exclude the more efi^ectually the wrong acceptation of it. I mention this instance as a specimen of those passages on which it may be useful to comment, though no explanation of any difl[iculty is called for. "Mysteries" ^ ^^^""^ ^ passage in one of and " Testa- the Post-Communiou prayers which does, to many readers, need some ex- planation. I mean that in which the word " Mysteries" occurs. It is a word so commonly employed in the present day to signify " something that cannot be understood," that it will be useful to point out its meaning in this passage, as equiva- lent to "symbol" or "emblem;" the "holy mys- teries" which the communicants are described as having " duly received" being the bread and wine, considered as symbolically representing the body and blood of our Saviour; even as the Apostle Paul speaks of marriage as a "mystery" ("sacra- mentum" in the Vulgate) when considered as an emblem representing the union of Christ and liis Church. In like manner we read, in the same prayer, of the "mystical" [i.e.^ figurative] body of Christ ; which is the blessed company of all faithful [believing] people : and in the Baptismal Service, of the water employed for the " mystical" — i.e.^ "mysteries" and "testament." 29 figurative or emblematical — " washing away of sin." Still more important is it to explain that the word "■ Testament^'' which occurs in the Consecra- tion prayer, is to be understood as signifying " Covenant" or " Dispensation." The ordinary sense of the word, to denote a Will by which a person bequeaths his property, destroys the chief force of our Lord's expression; whose disciples must have perceived, — if not at the moment when He was speaking, at least shortly after — his allusion to the words of Moses when, sprinkling the People with the blood of a victim, he said [Exod. xxiv. 8] "Behold the blood of the Covenant." It is thus (as I remarked in my last Charge) that our Trans- lators themselves wrote, in their version of the Book of Exodus ; though unhappily [in Heb. ix. 15] they have altered the word in the very passage cited from Exodus. And this is the more to be regretted, because the rendering that has been adopted aflPects the very title itself by which the Sacred Volume is known among us. And it renders totally unintelligible that most important passage in the Epistle to the Hebrews which goes to establish so clearly the sacrificial character of our Lord's death.' ^ I remarked to a learned and ingenious friend, who seemed disposed to maintain the Authorized Version at all hazards, that the whole passage, as it stands, conveys to me not merely no satisfactory sense, but no intelligible sense whatever; and 30 OBSOLETE WORDS. Obsolete words. § ^ ^- There can be no need to detain you by entering on any enumeration of the words and phrases that will call for comment or elucidation from you. Attentive perusal with that view, and your catechetical instruction of the young, and conversation with various classes of )^bur parishioners, will bring those expressions under your notice ; and I cannot suppose you will be at any loss to give such explanations as are needed. In reference to passages which have become somewhat obscure, or liable to be mistaken through the changes in our language, you will doubtless have observed, both in our Version of the Bible, and in the Prayer-Book, that the words which have wholly gone out of common use are very few com- pared with those Avhich, though as much used as ever, have been greatly modified in their significa- tion. The word " reasonable" e.g. is in common use now, but not in the sense of " rational" [i.e.., possessed of reason], which is what it bore at the time when our Authorized Version and Prayer- Book were composed. The like may be said of the that tlie more I examine it, the more hopelessly perplexing does it appear. And I suggested to him to consult (as I had done long since) the many learned and intelligent friends, and ample libraries, to which I knew he had ready access. As this was several months ago, I cannot doubt that if any even tolerably satisfactory interpretation could have been found, I should have heard of it before now. OBSOLETE WORDS. 31 word " lively," which, as you are aware, formerly signified " living^." And both these words occur in their ancient sense in one of the Post-Communion Prayers, The words " prevent" and " let," again, have almost reversed the signification in which we some- times find them in the older writings, though they are quite as much in use as ever. And the word "incomprehensible" is not unfrequent in modern use, though in a sense utterly remote from what it bears in the Athanasian Creed, as equivalent to the Latin original "immensus," "wo^ bounded hy spaced You may meet with not a few among what are considered the educated classes, who ac- cordingly misunderstand the word, and in conse- quence the whole passage where it occurs. And universally those words must evidently be the most likely to mislead which are not totally obsolete, but obsolete in their ancient sense, though commonly used by us in a different sense. The wholly obsolete words are likely to convey no meaning at all, and the others to convey a wrong meaning. To take one instance out of a multitude : I have known the -writer of a book find fault with a passage in our 2 1 St Article, which lays it doAvn that doctrines or decisions of a Council are not to be received as of authority, " unless it may be declared that they be taken out of Holy Scripture." This, he says, affords us no sufficient security, unless the question be satisfactorily answered "declared by whom?" 32 EXPLANATORY TEACHING THE LEAST ADMIRED. He evidently understands the word " declare" in its modern sense. But any one who consults the Latin Original will see that it is the translation of " ostendi" and that it is employed in its ancient meaning, which was to make dear^'' to "prove." On the ambiguity of the word " Hell^'' which is a translation of two quite different words in Greek, I offered some remarks in the Charge of last year. ]\Iany hke instances will readily occur to you; such as " faithful " for " believing ;" " wealth^'' in the sense of "prosperity;" '"'■estate" for "exter- nal circumstances ;" " convenient^" for " proper and becoming;" '■'"after" for "according to;" " pas- sion," for " suffering;" "offend," and "tempt," in a sense considerably different from what they now convey ; and several others. § 13. Such expositions as I have Explanatory ^^^^ recommending, you will find it Teaching the j least admired, advisable to give not merely in dis- courses from the pulpit, but also in private conversation, and especially in instruction of catechetical classes.' This last branch of our duty is one which no rightly conscientious pastor will be content to hand over altogether to a parish schoolmaster, or to such chance-assistants as may offer themselves ; however competent these may be ^ A very useful course of lectures on this subject was lately delivered by one of my clergy, who I hope will be induced to publish the substance of them. EXPLANATORY TEACHING THE LEAST ADMIRED. 33 to teach children to read correctly the words of the Bible and the Prayer-Book. I cannot conclude, however, without again warn- ing you that that branch of our duty which I have now been treating of, is one which you must not expect to find the most striking in its immediate results, or which will be, to a considerable portion of your congregations, the most interesting, or the most productive of admiration. It is for that very reason that it is the more needful, for me, and for you, to take every precaution against the tempta- tions to neglect what is clearly a part, and a very important part, of our duty. And such instruc- tion as I have been recommending, will, if dili- gently and skilfully conducted, produce effects, gradual indeed, and somewhat slow, but deep- rooted and of lasting benefit. If you find that your sermons are very attrac- tive to that portion especially of your congregations who care for little except the sermon — who seldom or never approach the Lord's Table, and who are negligent in all that relates to public worship^ this should operate on you rather as a warning than as a source of self-gratulation. If, on the contrary, 3'ou find your people more and more careful not to absent themselves from the early portion of divine 'service — more and more attentive and earnestly devout in their demeanour, and apparently im- pressed deeply with a sense of the high privilege they enjoy in our Lord's gracious promise of his 34 EXPLANATORY TEACHING THE LEAST ADMIRED. own especial presence in the midst of those " assem- bled in his name," and " agreeing together touching something they shall ask;" and if you find an in- creased and increasing number of habitual atten- dants at the Lord's Supper, then, indeed, you may confidently hope that the Lord's blessing has been bestowed on your exertions — that you have been in some degree successful as feeders of his beloved flock which He has committed to your care; and that when He, the Chief Shepherd, shall appear, you will have a joyful meeting in his presence Avith many whom you will have brought, or will have kept, within his Fold. NOTES. Note A, page 5. These words are taken from an able writer in the Cautions for the Times, No. 24. The whole passage is here subjoined: — " In thus insisting on the claims of the appointed teachers of " the Church, we may possibly haye appeared to some of you " unduly to exalt the christian ministry, and to approach too " near the Romish notions of the dignity of the priesthood. But " you will perceive, on reflection, that the very reverse is the " case. Many of those who pay less deference than we think '• they ought, to the teaching of Church-officers, do in reality " approach, far more than we do, to the Romish notions as to '■' the functions of these officers. For there are some who, while " they think themselves quite justified in chusing their teachers " as they please, would consider it wrong that the public Prayers " of the Church should be conducted by any but regularly- " ordained clergymen ; or who, at any rate, would be shocked " to receive the Sacraments from any other. Now, does not this " feeling imply a persuasion that it is not teaching, but officiat- " ing before God, which forms the distinguishing function of " the christian Ministry 1 In the case, indeed, of heathen priests, " it is true that the oflFering of sacrifices was their sole duty, " and that the giving of instruction was no part of their office. "And so likewise in the case of the Jewish priests; their " peculiar office was the making atonement for the sins of the "People; while Jews of any tribe were freely admitted to ex- " pound the Scripture in the Synagogues. (See Liike iv., and " Acts xiii.) You are aware, also, that in the Romish Church " similar views are entertained as to the priestly office, and that " what constitutes with them the distinguishing function of the " priest is the power of consecrating the Eucharist, and thereby, "as they believe, ofiFering up sacrifice for the living and the 36 NOTES. " dead. But it is very remarkable, that in the Bible the word " Hierens (or sacrificing priest, in Latin, " sacerdos") is applied " to no officer of the Christian Church, but is reserved for our " Lord exclusively. The sacrifice offered on Calvary is ex- " pressly declared to be final, and one which needs not to be " followed by any other atonement ; and the duties ascribed to the " Christian ministers are not the making atonement for the sins " of the People, but the proclaiming the Gospel-Message, and the " setting forth of its doctrines. If then we meet with a person " who behaves as if he thought that all had equal authority " for public teaching, while he acknowledges that all have not " equal authority to minister in the public ordinances of the " Church, is he not unconsciously entertaining views regarding " the Christian Ministry more nearly resembling those which '• the heathens and the Jews held, and which the Romanists " still hold, with regard to their priests, than any which can be " fairly collected from the New Testament 1 — that he must con- " sider the priest as one who is to do something with God on " his behalf, or in his stead, rather than as one whose principal " office is the communicating instruction to the People?" Note B, page 19. The same observations will apply to the case of subscription to any Formulary, whether a Liturgy, or a " Creed," " Articles of Religion," or " Confession of Faith." Those belonging to some Communion which uses nothing of the kind, — that is, nothing formally agreed on, written down, and published, — sometimes make it a matter of boast that they have no test of orthodoxy framed by Man, but refer only to the Holy Scriptures, They do, however, in some way, ascertain the soundness, accord- ing to their own views, of each man's interpretation of Scripture ; so that the only difference between them and us is, that they trust everything to the discretion of those who act as examiners, — the Tkyebs, as they were called in the times of the Common- wealth. Yet they may allege objections, to an indefinite extent, against any written Formularies, safe from having any pre- NOTES. 37 cisely similar objections retorted ; because the blame of any- thing that may be open to blame is laid on individuals, and not on the Church which leaves to those individuals an unlimited, and perhaps unsafe, discretion. There is, however (as was observed in the Cautions for the Times, No. 26), " no Christian community which does not, in " some way or other, apply some other test besides the very " words of Scripture. Some Churches, indeed, do not reduce " any such Test to writing, or express it in any fixed form, so as " to enable every one to know beforehand precisely how much ! " he will be required to bind himself to. But nevertheless, " those churches do apply a test, and very often a much more " stringent, elaborate, and minute test, than our Liturgy and j " Articles. In such Communities, the candidate-pastor of a " Congregation is not, to be sure, called on to subscribe in " writing a definite Confession of Faith, drawn up by learned " and pious persons after mature deliberation, and publicly set " forth by common authority. But he is called upon to con- " verse with the leading members of the Congregation, and j " satisfy them as to the soundness of his views ; not, of course, " by merely repeating texts of Scripture, — which a man of any " views might do, and do honestly; — but by explaining the " sense in which he understands the Scriptures. Thus, instead " of subscribing the Thirty-nine Articles, he subscribes the " sentiments of the leading members — for the time being — of " that particular congregation over which He is to be placed as " Teacher. " And tlius it is that Tests of some kind or other, written or " unwritten [i.e., transmitted by oral tradition], fixed for the " whole Body, or variable, according to the discretion of par- " ticular Governors, are, and most be, used in every Christian , « Church." THE END. LONDON: SAVILL AND EDWARDS, PRINTERS, CHAND08 STREET, COVENT GARDEN. THE PAROCHIAL SYSTEM: BEING THE CHARGE DELIVERED AT THE TRIENNIAL VISITATION OF THE PROA^INCE OF DUBLIN, IN JUNE, 1859. By RICHARD WHATELY, D.D. ABCMBISSOP OF DUBLIN. ai'Toi yap aypvTrvovirtv virep tCjv Tpv\ii)V vfiwi', lijg \6yov cnroSuiiTovrig' [Hhb. XIII. 17.] LONDON: JOHN W. PARKEE AND SON, WEST STEAND. DUBLIN: HODGES AND SMITH, GEAFTON STEEET. 1859. LONPON : SAVILL AND EDWARDS, PRINTERS, CHANDOS STKKET, COVENT GARDEN. CONTENTS. § I. Distinct branches of Ministerial duty 5 § 2. Pastoral care of a Parish 6 § 3. Importance of private Ministrations 10 § 4- Important results of domestic visitino- ti § 5. Qualifications requisite for private Ministrations . . 16 § 6. Danger of overrating human Authority 18 § 7- Distinction between inspired and uninspired teachers 22 §8. Confession and Absolution . oh § 9. Admission to the Eucharist 28 § 10. Difficulty of firm adherence to duty §11. Licenced places of Worship §12. Parochial Visitors . . 34 A 2 THE PAROCHIAL SYSTEM. § I. There are, as you are well aware, in the Ordination-Service (a Ser- branches of vice which should be frequently and ^inistenal attentively perused, by the Members, and especially the Clergy, of our Church), distinct, though brief, references to the several parts of the Ministerial duty ; — to the administration of the Sacraments, — the public instruction of the People out of Scripture, — and also the private Visitation of individuals. On several of these points, I have taken occasion, from time to time, to offer some remarks. On the subject of the two Sacraments I some time ago put forth such observations as I thought called for, on account of the too prevalent neglect of one of them, and some misapprehensions that are afloat respect- ing both. And on some later occasions I adverted to the duty of giving explanations to the People, of the Holy Scriptures, and also of the Book of Common-Prayer ;* not as designing to impute to * Tracts on " the Sacraments," andon " Esplanations of Scrip' ture and of the Frayer-book.'^ 6 PASTORAL CARE any one a neglect of that portion of dut}^ or as meaning to disparage other portions ; but because hortatory pulpit-eloquence is something so much more showy and striking than those other, not at all less important ministrations, that there must sometimes be a temptation, which we should sedu- lously guard against, to bestow on these an insuffi- cient degree of attention. And the same will apply, most emphatically, to the duty of private Visitation of individuals ; which is one of those distinctly and strongly set forth in the office for the Ordination of Priests. The candidate for Holy Orders is called upon publicly to pledge himself, first, to " instruct out of the Scriptures, the people committed to his charge ;" and next, " faithfully to minister the doctrine and Sacraments and the discipline of the Church, and to teach the people under his charge to keep and observe the same." And afterwards he is required to engage to use " private, as well as public moni- tions and exhortations, both to the sick and the whole within his cure, as need shall require, and occasion shall be given." In addition therefore to the duties of public Ministration, there is a distinct head mentioned of private Ministration also. § 2. And this, comparatively incon- Pastoral care • i j x • i x i j. • ufa Parisli spicuous, but ccrtamly not least im- portant branch of Ministerial duty, belongs most especially to what may be called the OF A PARISH. 7 Parochial System of our Church. If public preach- ing, and the administering of the Sacraments were all that was needed, there would be no necessity for dividing a christian Country into any such dis- tricts as we call Parishes, and confiding each to the superintending care of its own Pastor. It would be onl}' needful to provide a sufficient number of places of Worship, and of Preachers ; leaving those preachers to make whatever arrangements among themselves might suit their convenience. But our Church (and I believe I might say every christian Church) has felt, and practically recognised the need of something besides this ; — of that private superintending care which is provided for by the parochial system. And such a system there can be, I think, no doubt, was established in the very earliest times. For (to omit other proofs) we may be sure that it could not have been of mere preachers that the Apostle is speaking when he exhorts Christians [i Thess. v. 12] to "know them which labour among them, and are over them in the Lord, and admonish them ; and to esteem them very highly for their work's sake :" and again [Heb. xiii. 17], to "Obey them that have the rule over them, and to submit themselves : for they watch for their souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief." As for instituting any inquiry into the compara- tive utility or dignity of the several branches of 8 PASTORAL CARE Ministerial duty, this would then — and then only — be pertinent, if an alternative were before us ; — if one, or else another, of these, must necessarily be neglected. But a conscientious man, who has several distinct duties imposed on him, will occupy himself, not in considering which of them deserves a preference, but, how he can best fulfil them all. It may sometimes however be worth while to consider wJiich of our duties we -may be the most frequently tempted to neglect, by reason of its having less connexion with personal celebrity and popularity, and being of a less striking character, than others. And corresponding care is called for to guard against any such temptation. I am not, of course, supposing the case of a man who makes human applause his idol, and who deliberately prefers the reputation of an eloquent preacher to the edification of his People, and the discharge of his duty. If there ivere any one of such a character, he would not be likely to listen with profit to any admonitions on the subject. But (as I observed on a former occasion) any one who, possessing the valuable gift of attractive and popular pulpit eloquence, should take for granted that he cannot be in any danger of over-rating the importance of this, and unduly depreciating, or partially overlooking, other branches of ministerial duty — such a one is, by his rash security, the most exposed to that danger. Public instruction and exhortation from the OF A PARISH. 9 Pulpit, I am so far from undervaluing, that I am fully sensible of an advantage, in some respects, which a discourse delivered to a congrec/ation, pos- sesses over private admonitions to an individual. It is well known that a multitude will often be more easily and more strongly impressed by any- thing that is forcibly said, than those same persons would have been by the very same words addressed to each of them -singly. Mutual sympathy, and mutual consciousness of that sympathy, tend very greatly to heighten any kind of emotion that may have been excited. And thus a powerful effect is often produced on a large audience composed of persons no one of whom could have been equally influenced separately. It should not be forgotten however, that any sudden and very violent excitement, though it cer- tainly does sometimes leave permanently good effects, yet will very often be succeeded (if not watched with judicious care — if the metal when heated be not duly moulded) — by a dangerous kind of collapse — a sort of reaction — which will more than undo any good that may have been done : " and the last state of that man will be worse than the first." A torrent (we should remember), however copious and rapid, is no permanent stream ; its very name being taken from a word which denotes parching drought. And in the Parable of the Sower, the seed which fell on a rock underwent what may be called a new birth ; since it imme- 10 IMPORTANCE OF diately sprang up ; but when the sun waxed liot it withered away. § 3. And tliere are also peculiar ad- Importance of vantages ou the side of private admo- private Minis- . . _ trations. nition. In private converse with an individual, you perceive, and can accom- modate yourself to his particular character and habits of thought, and can then supply just the kind of instruction or advice that especially suits that individual. You learn what are the particular difficulties or objections that most beset him ; and again, the particular excuses by which each may have soothed his conscience ; and which perhaps are what you would never have conjectured. The particular temptations to which one individual is most exposed, are often quite different from those of another man. And these you will best come to understand in private intercourse. And I may add that you will thus best be able to increase the efficiency of your puhlic ministra- tions. For, with a view to them, it is most im- portant to ascertain what has or has not been clearly understood ; — what may have been w^^.sunder- stood ; — and how far any individual may have evaded the personal application to Jiimself of some- thing that had been said, and may have applied it solely to his neighbours. Often will the Minister who makes such inquiries as he ought to make, be surprised at the result of them. He will often find that much of what he has said, and which had PRIVATE MINISTRATIONS. 11 been listened to with reverence and with apparent attention, and had been received with ready assent, has been in part very imperfectly and indistinctly taken in, and in part grossly misapprehended. Much intercourse with our fellow-men is essen- tial to that knowledge of Manhhid wdthout which no one can be a profitable instructor of others. The solitary student will be likely to judge of the feel- ings and notions of others too much from his own ; and will be misled by what Bacon calls " the Idols of the Den" \idola spems]. And again, one who has had but little intercourse except with some one class of persons, will be the less qualified as an instructor of other, very different, classes. Even with a view therefore to really profitable public preaching, private intercourse with the mem- bers of the congregation is highly important. For (as I took occasion to observe in a former Charge) no one can be completely well-fitted to be the in- structor of any class of persons, who has not had considerable private intercourse with individuals of that very class. And the private intercourse of the Pastor with his people should not be confined to that which indeed could scarcely be with propriety called inter- course;— ra^xiA^speakin(jio them on religious matters. He should also listen to them, and encourage them to open their minds freely to him. And that too, not on their spiritual concerns only, but on any others also on which they naturally and allowably 12 IMPORTiVNCE OF TRR'ATE MINISTRATIONS. feel much interest, and have a craving for sym- pathy. All detraction indeed, and cx'iticism of their neighbours, should be repressed ; but on con- cerns of their own, such as the prospects in life of themselves and their children, they should be lis- tened to with friendly sympathy. And finding you take a kind interest in their temporal welfare, and that you do not look down on them with disdainful unconcern, they will the more readily communicate with you and listen to you on religious subjects. And it may be added that you may in this way best bring them to understand that Religion is not to be reserved as a distinct occupation for one day in the week, but is to operate practically in the ordinary business of life. And when you find any one holding any erro- neous notions, you will find it best to he(^m by ascertaining what there is of truth in his views ; since thus there will be some common ground for both parties to stand upon. And after dwelling on the points of agreement, you may then the better proceed to refute what is erroneous, and to convey more correct ideas. It should be considered moreover, that the im- pression which may be produced by a j)ublic dis- course, is sometimes more liable to be transient, and before long to fade away and be forgotten, than a similar impression made in private conference. A Sermon will perhaps have suggested to a man a doubt as to the correctness of his belief or his prac- RESULTS OF DOMESTIC VISITING. 13 tice in some point ; — he will have been strongly urged to adopt views at variance with his preju- dices, or to act against his habitual inclination, — and he feels perhaps that the reasons given are such as he is unable to answer. But then, there is no one calling on him to answer them ; — no one pressing him either to express his conviction and act accordingly, or else, to show sufficient cause for refusing. And he will be not unlikely, nor perhaps unwilling, to let the doubts or the convictions that have been produced gradually pass away and leave no trace on his mind. He will perhaps say, virtually, to some argument with which he had been impressed at the moment, " Go thy way for this time ; when I have a convenient season I will call for thee." But in private conference, there is the reverse of this. A man is naturally and fairly called on to express his assent to what he cannot deny, and to acknowledge the obvious consequences of what he has distinctly admitted. And he must either convict himself of wilful and perverse incon- sistency, or else must at least profess an intention of acting up to what he acknowledges to be true and right. \ 4. Accordingly, some important effects are occasionally produced in in- important re- ii-i.Tp ,. 1 suits of domes- dividuals by this kind 01 conversational visiting. intercourse, when they would have re- mained— perhaps had remained — practically un- 14 IMPORTANT RESULTS OF moved by the most striking eloquence in public discourses. Many of you probably could confirm what has been said, by instances coming under your own experience. Of those that have come under mine, I will mention one, and only one, as an illustration of the above remarks. There was a parish (of moderate extent) under the care of a conscientious and zealous .Minister, who had to lament, as to one point, the utter failure of his efforts. The Lord's Table was attended only by some six or eight persons, all members of one family. The rest of the congregation continued to absent themselves from the ordinance, notwith- standing his delivering sermon after sermon, filled with the most cogent reasons, and the most earnest exhortations. The People continued to attend at Church, and listened (and perhaps listened with approbation) to the Sermons, as if to something not at all designed for tliem, but altogether for some different class of persons. Another Minister, to whom this state of things was known, succeeded to the charge of the parish ; and he resolved to try another course of procedure. He went round to the several families of the Parishioners, giving in- structions,— explanations, — reasons, — exhoi'tations, — remonstrances, — according to what each case re- quired. And the result was, that on the very next occasion of his celebrating the Lord's Supper, instead of six or eight, he had above 7iincty communicants. DOMESTIC VISITING. 15 In this instance tliere was an immediate and evident result ; showing publicly, the utility of these private ministrations. But this is not what is to be ordinarily expected. It will oftener be found that the good effects — when any do result — will be gradual and slow, and, after all, but little noticed, and little known, except by a very few persons. You may be the means, under the divine blessing, of doing most important service to many an indi- vidual, while scarcely any one except the parties immediately concerned is even at all aware of it. You may be enabled, in your private ministrations (as doubtless most of you have been) to console the afflicted — to fortify the wavering — to convince the doubting — to reclaim the vicious — to correct the erroneous — to rouse the careless — and to reconcile those who are at variance ; and yet these services may be but little known beyond a very small circle ; and perhaps, even v:1ien known, not estimated very highly. If you faithfully and well discharge these duties, you will indeed obtain, besides the ines- timable testimony of a good conscience, the approba- tion of the most judicious and worthiest men : but with most of the unwise and unthinking, far greater popularity will be gained by something more striking and splendid. There are men whom the Apostle Paul describes as " having itching ears :" — whom the Apostle James alludes to as being " hearers of the Word, and not doers whom he compares to a man " beholding his face in a mirror ;" 16 QUALIFICATIONS REQUISITE FOR and whom Ezekicl, long before, had described as listening to him as they would to one who " hath a very pleasant voice, and can play well on an in- strument." For it is not merely in iheir times, but doubtless in all times, that such may be found ; — persons who have a craving for the excitement of brilliant and impassioned eloquence, and care for little else ; estimating each Minister entirely accord- ing to the degree in which he proves attractive to a congregation ; and flattering themselves that- they are making religious progress, because the oratory they delight in has a reference to Religion. Such a one may be compared to a cloth which has received a dye, but without the application of a Mordant to fix it, and whose colour, however brilliant, will easily be discharged. § 5. But others, again, there are who requi^fe for ^rc awarc of the utility and of the neces- private Minis- private pastoral superintendence, trations. J i 1 ... but regard this branch of ministerial duty as a very humble one ; inferior in importance and far lower in point of dignity. But a rightly- conscientious and faithful Pastor, who undertakes and who retains, the charge of a parish, will not allow any temptation so to draw him off from this duty, as to leave uncared for those " souls he is bound to watch over, as one that must give an account." And in truth, this branch of duty is not only highly important, but is also one which requires PRIVATE MINISTRATIONS. 17 qualifications different indeed, in kind, from those of the pubHc preacher, but not at all less valuable. Sound good sense, and discreet cautiousness, are most especially requisite in the Minister's private intercourse with his parishioners. And they are qualities Avhich (in a high degree) are not more common, nor less needing assiduous cultivation, than brilliant eloquence. And besides good sense and conscientious dili- gence, there will also be usually an especial call foj. patience, in this branch of ministerial duty. In dealing with numbers of persons of various disposi- tions, and many of them of untutored minds, many, and very various, trials of patience will be likely to arise. Some persons, perhaps, Avill be inattentive even to the most judiciously offered instruction, or will even resent the kindest advice. Some will show no gratitude for the pains bestowed on them ; and some will be unreasonable in their demands on the Pastor's time and labour, or perhaps jealous of that which is bestowed on their neighbours. In all these ways, the patience of a diligent Pastor will often be greatly tried : though, on the otlier hand, he may hope often to meet with cheering en- couragements. It would be superfluous to enlarge on the evils that may ensue, — in all departments of duty, and not least in this that I am now alluding to — from indiscretion, or from impatience of temper. To be intrusively troublesome, — to interfereinan indelicate li 18 DANGER OF OVERRATING way in domestic concerns,— to rebuke witli harsh- j ness, — to weary with admonitions those whose ] minds are pre-occupied, — to assume an arrogant ' tone of dictation, — all these are faults which you must be well aware will render well-meant private ministrations more hurtful than beneficial. And I need hardly add, that the dread of such evils ought [ not to tempt you to neglect this branch of duty, ; but to incite you to use the more care in guarding | against any such errors. | § 6. But it may be worth while to Banger of suggcst that Care will sometimes be overrating htl- ^ -i , ^ • i ^ i ^ ' manAuihuriiy. necdcd to guard agaiust what may be reckoned an opposite danger. You will [ perhaps find that some of the best-disposed of your flock are inclined to assign, not too little, but too much authority to their Pastor. Men are apt, in this matter, to be misled by a false analogy, between the Clerical profession on the one hand, and the | Medical and Legal on the other. As a man places himself under the guidance of a phj^sician, and of a | legal-adviser, whom he thinks trustworthy in their i respective departments, and implicitly relies on ^ them, without setting up himself as a judge of the directions they give, and without undertaking the j study of medical or legal science, so, many a one ' proceeds in a corresponding way, in what regards his religion. I have heard, as probably some of you have, a distinct avowal of this principle : but you will much more frequently find it acted on. If 1 HUMAN AUTHORITY. 19 a Pastor is very assiduous, and is mucli beloved and admired, it will perhaps be found that many of his People place him (in their own minds) — not indeed distinctly and avowedly, but practically — almost on the same level with the inspired Apostles : — that they receive doctrines, in fact, on his word, and give an uninquiring and unhesitating assent to all he says, simply because said by him. And indeed I have myself known a Protestant Minister con- gratulate himself on finding this to be the case with several of his People ; forgetting apparently that two-thirds of his parishioners, were, on the very same principle, adhering to a religious system which he, and which I, considered erroneous and dangerous. Now it is evidently an error to receive doctrines on human authority, even supposing all that is actually thus received to be in itself true. The Apostles, we know, received a direct supernatural revelation, attested by miraculous signs ; and they, — very rea- sonably,— called on men to receive them as immediate messengers from Heaven. And our Lord taught, — as He had a right to do — " as one having authority, and not as the Scribes appealing to his " mighty works" as the proper proof of his pretensions. The Scribes in their teaching referred to the written Law ; saying, "It is written so and so ; and this or that appears to be the meaning." And thus, even if their expositions were in any point erroneous, their hearers had in their hands tlie means of cor- recting the error. Now it is evident that we are to B 2 20 DANGER OF OVERRATING j teach as tlie Scribes, and not, like our Lord, as liaving independent authority. We must refer our IjBarers to Scripture and to Reason for the estahlish- ment of what we say ; unless we can exhibit those miracles which, we are expressly told, were " the signs of an Apostle."* All this might seem too obvious to be at all liable to be overlooked. But experience shows that there is a danger of putting human authority too nearly on a level with divine. A large majority, as you are aware, of professing Christians in the world, are members of Churches which distinctly claim infal- libility ; a claim which could never have been esta- blished, if men had not been predisposed to admit it. And in fact, there is, I believe, no one cause that has had so much effect in retaining, and in enlist- ing adherents to the Church of Rome, as the craving after an infallible guide on earth, universally acces- sible, and competent to decide without the possi- bility of error, among all conflicting opinions, what is the right sense of Scripture, and what is the divine Will. And even where no claim to infalli- bility, under that very title, is either allowed or put forth, something very nearly amounting to the same, in reality, may often be met with. There is, as you are aware, a Christian sect whose preachers distinctly * Signs, that is, attesting the claim of one who did claim to be an Apostle. For though others hesides the Apostles pos- sessed miraculous powers, without making any such claim, those who did make it were bound to produce this inlallible proof of their pretensions. HUMAN AUTHORITY. 21 profess to be " moved by the Holy Spirit" to say whatever they do say. And supposing this claim to be well-established, all that they utter would be completely on a level with Holy Scripture. For, the very foundation of our confidence in that, as infallible, is, our belief that those we commonly call " the Inspired Writers" really were " moved by the Spirit" to say what they did. But then, any one Avho ventures thus to proclaim, with the voice of one of the Prophets of old, " thus saith the Lord," or, " the Holy Spirit moveth me," may fairly be re- quired to display "the miraculous signsoi^n Apostle," or else must stand convicted of impious presumption. There are others, again, who though not using precisely this language, yet so express themselves as to be at least very likely to be understood in nearly the same sense. For instance, I remember seeing in some Publication, the description given by a preacher (I forget of what denomination) of his addressing some persons, " not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but with demonstration of the Holy Ghost and of power." He was, apparently, so ignorant as not to know that the Apostle meant by " demonstration of the Holy Ghost and of power," the proof he exhibited of his divine commission by the display of miraculous powers conferred on him by the Holy Spirit. But there was clearly a claim, — or at least what would be understood as a claim, — to an inspiration equal to that of the Apostle. Again, a IVIinister of another Church, — whom I well knew personally, — a 22 DISTINCTION BETWEEN INSPIRED man of more tlian average learning and intelligence, declared to me his conviction that onr Lord's admo- nition to his Apostles not to " take thought or pre- meditate what they should speak, for that it sliould be given them in the same hour what to say," was applicable to ourselves at this day, and one which we are authorized and bound to act on. Perhaps it did not occur to him, but it certainly would to most who heard him, that the very ground on which this admonition rested, was, — " it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost that speaketh in you." But a Minister who is far from designedly putting forth for himself any such pretensions, may never- theless find a tendency in some of his flock to fall into something of the error I have been alluding to, unless distinctly, and earnestly, and frequently, cautioned against it. § 7. And in giving such cautions, it Distinction be- ■. , . , , , tween inspired Will be neccssary to point out, and ex- anduninspired plain, and dwell upon, some important teachers. ...... distinctions : what some perhaps will call nice and subtle distinctions, but which are in- dispensably requisite for a right faith. For instance, the Pastor cannot but believe the opinions which he puts forth in sincerity to be true; else they would not be his opinions. Yet he must not allow his People to adopt them on his authority. He cannot, again, but wish them to receive his doctrine ; but he must refer them to Holy Scripture, and leave them to judge, — as the candid Beroeans did of old — " whether those things are so." It is not enough AND UNINSPIRED TEACHERS. 23 that tliey should hold what is in itself right, if they believe it on wrong grounds. And, again, he cannot but believe, and must teach, that " every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above," and that for whatever truth there may be in anything he teaches, he is bound to be thankful to the divine Giver. So he is also, for everything that is morally good in his conduct ; for " the fruit of the Spirit is in all righteousness" as well as in all truth ; and yet, as he cannot claim sinless perfection, so neither can he claim infalU- bility in doctrine. " If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves ;" and we should equally deceive ourselves if we should say that we have no error. The Pastor therefore must be careful to point out the distinction between himself and the Apostles who received manifest and sensible divine inspiration ; even when his doctrine, as well as theirs, may be true and entitled to belief. The truth of what theg said was to be inferred from the instruction from above which they received ; the sensible miracles which they displayed being the proof of their divine commission. With a mere human teacher on tlie other hand — one who is (in the ordinary acceptation of tlie word) uninspired, the case is the opposite. Any enliglitening grace of the Holy Spirit that may have been bestowed on him, is to be inferred from the truth of what he teaches ; the proof of that truth being attested not by miracles wrought by him, but by an appeal to the Inspired Writers themselves. Iheg claim 24 INSPIRED AND UXINSriRED TEACHKRS. assent on tlieir own word, and he, on tlieii's. Now if any one is inclined to call this an over-nice and subtle distinction, he will do well to reflect whether it is not on this that the whole difference turns between being servants of God or of Mixn. And it is important to point out to jour people that in the New Testament history, every out- pouring of the Spirit such as called on men to receive what was said as a message from Heaven, was always attested by undeniable miracles, not to be mistaken for imposture, or for the delusions of an excited state of iceling. The Disciples on the day of Pentecost did not utter an unmeaning jargon and call that the Gift of Tongues, but spake languages which they had never learnt, but which were understood by the men of various nations whom they addressed, and recognised by them as " their own tongues wherein they were born." This sign, and the healing of the sick, and the raising of the dead, were the proofs given of a direct communication from the Most High. But there is no record of an}^ such signs as shrieks, faintings, convulsions, and hysterical fits. All the violent manifestations that we read of, were what the Sacred Writers attributed to the agency of Evil Demons. But the manifestations of God's Holy Spirit seem to have been as cahii as they were powerful.* * When Paul was " struck down," it was by a miraculous light, which was seen hy his companions. And they heard a voice speaking to him tliough they did not distinguish the words. (See Acts ix. and xxii.) CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION. 25 The cautions I have now been recommending have evidently a reference not only to private ministrations, but to public preaching also ; and perhaps even still more to this latter. For in private conference, any misapprehension that your hearer may fall into, you will be likely immediately to perceive, and can correct at once. But in a sermon, something said may be dangerously mis- apprehended, without the error's coming to your knowledge.* § 8. But there is one case in which the danger I have been alluding to has Confession reference exclusively to the Pastor's "ution. private intercourse with his people ; I mean, that of consultation as to cases of conscience, and private confession of particular sins. Auricular confession, enjoined as an habitual and necessary duty, though it is felt as a grievous burden by many of those belonging to Churches which do enjoin it, is a burden which could never have been originally imposed on men without their own con- sent. And there can be no doubt, I think, that the * Any one who has been aceu.stomed to see or to hear reports of discourses which may have been delivered by himself, or which he has heard — discourses perhaps very clear in style and in delivery — will often be surprised at the misapprehensions afloat ; — misapprehensions sometimes destroying, or even reversing the real sense of what was said. Such rnisapj)rehensions we must guard against in all cases, as well as we can ; but it is in private conference that they can the most easily be corrected. 26 CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION. practice must liave grown up in consequence of men's craving for the relief of what is called 2^;2burdening the conscience, or (as it is sometimes styled) " making a clean breast." And one proof that might be given of this, is, that something nearly approaching to that system of particular confession has been introduced by a Protestant sect, which does not recognise priestly absolu- tion. If our Lord had bestowed on his Apostles and other Ministers the faculty of reading each man's heart, and foreseeing the future course of his life, they might thus have been enabled to pronounce positively of an individual that his sins were par- doned by the Most High, and his salvation secured. But this gift He did not think Jit to bestow on any one. His Disciples therefore were merely autho- rized to pronounce, not, what particular individuals, but what kind of persons should have remission of sin against God ; namely those whose penitence and faith were seen by Ilim to be sincere. And even as the power conferred on the Disciples, " of binding and loosing," — i. e., of enacting, alter- ing, or repealing rules of conduct, cannot extend to alterations in the essentials of the Gospel-scheme of salvation, or in the fundamental principles of morality, but only to church-regulations as to cere- monies, formularies, public worship, and religious festivals, even so, the remission of sins, as sins against God, can be proclaimed by Christ's Minis- CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION. 27 ters, onl}" as promised, generallij, in Scripture to the truly and rightly penitent. But the power of remitting or retaining sins, has been, as you are aware, misunderstood as implying a power (one which neither the Apostles them- selves, nor any other man can possess) of absolutely pardoning sins as against God. He who does any wrong to his neighbour, and by the same act is guilty of an offence against the community he belongs to, and also of a sin against God, may be forgiven by his neighbour, for the wrong done to that neighbour ; and may receive the pardon of the community for the offence done to but it is God alone that can forgive the sin against God. In fact, we are, all of us, not only authorized but bound to " forgive every man his brother their trespasses that is, trespasses as against ourselves. And it is a right not only conferred by our Lord on his Church, but necessarily inherent in every kind of Society, to inflict, retain, and remit, the censure of the Society, on any transgressor of its rules. But neither any individual man, nor any Society, can have a right to go further, and to pretend to for- give sins against the Most High. This distinction, which men have often been found prone to overlook, and which some may call a subtle and nice distinction, is one whicli tlic Pastor is clearly bound to point out and to explain, if he would guard his flock against most deadly error. And 1 cannot think that a man of good 28 ADMISSION TO sense will find it very hard to be explained. A child may surely be brought to understand that though he may remit a debt due to Idmself, he cannot remit a debt due to another — to a third person ; and that (by parity of reasoning) though he may pardon a wrong done to him, no one else Can have power to pardon that wrong. But be the distinction a subtle or an obvious one, and difficult or easy to be explained, some explanation of it the Pastor is bound to give, and to guard his people against attributing to him an authority which no man can possess. \ 9. As for questions respecting the Admission to ^ i t ji t the Eucharist. Particular mode, and the degree, in which any Church ought to exercise, or does exercise, a power of remitting or re- taining offences as against itself, on these I shall, of course, not enter on this occasion. But it is worth while to remark that there is one point whereon our Church may be said to have delegated this power to her Ministers and to exercise it through them. The Minister is authorized and bound to act according to the best of his know- ledge and discretion in admitting to the Eucharist or excluding from it. In the general, public administration of the ordinance in the Church, he is to exclude those only who are " ojien and noto- rious evil-livers," or are in avowed enmity against their neighbours. But in the private visitation of the sick, cases will arise, and in populous parishes THE EUCHARIST. 29 will be of no unfrequent occurrence, in wliicli tliere will be a call for mucli anxious deliberation, and need of much sound discretion. Suppose a man who has been, and confesses him- self to have been, leading an utterly ungodly life, or to have committed some heinous crime, for Avhich he might reasonably have been excluded from christian communion, to be alarmed at the probable near approach of death, and to send for the Minister to his sick bed, desiring to receive the Lord's Supper. The Minister, when applied to, must say either " I will," or " I will not." If the applicant appear to be sincerely and rightly penitent, and in that suitable state of mind which is briefly described in our Church-Catechism (in answer to the question " What is required of those who come to the Lord's Supper ?") then he will administer the Eite ; and in so doing he will have taken upon him to remit, on the part of the Church, that penalty of exclusion from the Lord's Table which the man's former life mi>fficuUy of Jinn adherence fully fulfilling his duty by the bed of to duty. sickness, must expect sometimes to be exposed to complaint and obloquy for so doing. As I observed in a work published about thirty years ago,* it is a grief to the Ministers of the Gospel to be so" often appHed to, on the approach of death, by those who have not prepared at all for the great change, during their life : — whose seed-time has been delayed till harvest; and who flatter themselves that there w411 be a saving efficacy in our speaking and reading to them, and praying over them, and inter- ceding for them, on their death-bed. " Give us of your oil" (they seem to say) " for our lamps are going out." And the Minister is sometimes even blamed as hard-hearted and unfeeling if he refuse to hold out a confident hope, in some case where he can find nothing in Scripture to warrant such con- fidence. Some perhaps are even tempted by this consideration, and by the desire of being thought good-natured, and by a really benevolent wish to soothe at least the last hours of a djnng man, — some, I say, are perhaps- thus tempted into holding out hopes which they themselves believe to be delusive. And perhaps they are thus tempted to administer the Holy Sacrament to one whom they perceive to be wholly unfit to partake of it, from being totally * Lectures on a Future State. 32 DIFFICULTY OF FIRM ADHERENCE TO DUTY. mistaken as to the wliole character and desia-n of the Ordinance, — unrepentant of the sin of having hitherto neglected it, and full of a superstitious trust that it will operate as a kind of charm to ensure the salvation of any one who receives it just before his death. Indeed I have myself known the case of a man who believed himself to be dying, and who soli- cited the administration of the Eite avowedly on that ground, acknowledging that he would have declined it if he had expected to recover. One of the evils resulting from this mistaken benevolence, is the danger that surviving friends may thus be encouraged to go on in a course of sin or of carelessness, by. seeing one who has so lived departing in a triumphant confidence of salvation, derived from the assurance of a Minister of Christ. Nothing can be more natural than that they also should listen to the delusions of the same Tempter, who whispers to them, as to our first Parents, " Ye shall not surely die :" — that tlieij also should wait for a death-bed repentance, and propose to them- selves to send, when the time shall arrive, for the same Minister who has given such bold and com- fortable assurances. If we were disposed to magnify our office, we should pretend, like the priests of corrupt Churches, to be able to ensure any one's salvation by our mediation, and by such a ceremony as Extreme Unction, and by saying Masses for the repose of his Soul. God knows they do often procure the LICENCED PLACES OF WORSHIP. 33 i-pjjose of the soul ; but it is only in this life. They administer a deadly opiate, which relieves present pain, and lets the disease gain ground unchecked. And they " strengthen the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his evil way, by promising him life." In this branch then, as much as in anj^ of your private Ministerial duty, there is need, in addition to benevolent and zealous assiduity, of a degree of sound judgment, as well as unflinching adherence to truth, which are not perhaps more common, and certainly not less important, than pulpit eloquence. % II. There is, connected with the 7-. , ' ' Licenced Parochial System, an occasional incon- places of venience, for which partial, though not ^'^'^^^^P- complete remedies may be provided. Many parishes are too extensive, and many too popiilous, to be properly attended to by the Pastor, even with aid of one, or of two Curates. And many Churches are too distant from great part of the parishioners, to be regularly attended by them, or too small for the congregations. Hence the necessity of Chapels and other licenced places of "Worship, and of Ministers to officiate in them. And that most valuable In- stitution, the Additional-Curates-Society, has done much, (and would do much more, were its funds as adequately supported by christian liberality as it deserves,) towards supplying the deficiency. The Ministers of the Chapels that are subsidiary to the Parochial System as far as regards public C 34 PAROCHIAL VISITORS. ministrations, are occupying a most useful and important place. But neither they, if they are worthy and sensible men, nor any of the members of their congregations, who are rightly disposed, will regard their office as one of higher importance, or of greater dignity, than that of the Parochial Clergy, to whom they are thus supplemental. ^12. With respect again to domestic FarocUal ministrations, the Parochial Clergy Visitors. have often, with the best effect, availed themselves of the assistance of Laymen, in such offices as our Church allows to be entrusted to these. In my own dioceses, for a good many years, most beneficial aid of this kind has been supplied, in a systematic and orderly mode, by persons regularly appointed as Parochial- Visitors, who are approved by the Society established for that pur- pose, nominated by the Incumbent of each Parish, and finally authorized by the Diocesan. These Visitors do not, of course, assume any of what are strictly clerical offices ; nor encroach on or interfere with, the rights and duties of the Parish- Minister ; but aid and facilitate his labours. They ascertain, by friendly visits, what persons are, or are not, attendants on divine Worship, or frequenters of the Lord's Table ; what degree of education is possessed by each, and what, is provided for their children ; who are, and who ought to be, preparing for Confirmation ; and what kind of life, generally, is led by each. They occasionally read to those PAROCHIAL VISITORS. 35 who are ignorant of letters : they are the bearers of inquiries or applications of any kind, from the parishioners to the Pastor, and of advice and admo- nition, and other communications, from him to them : and they are often enabled to ascertain, and to report to him, what has or has not been rightly and profitably understood, of his teaching. Moreover, as most of the Parochial Visitors are young men preparing for the Ministry, there is, in this Institution, besides the immediate benefit to the Pastor and his People, an incalculable advantage to the parties themselves who are employed, in the training they thus receive in a most important part of ministerial duty, under the superintendence of experienced men, before taking on themselves the more difficult and more responsible office of the clerical charge of a parish. I have conversed with very many clergymen who had held the office of Parochial Visitor ; and almost all of them have spoken in the strongest terms of the advantages they had derived in their profession from this pre- liminary training. And I may add that the Divinity-Professors of the University of Dublin bear the strongest testimony to the benefit of the Insti- tution, as subsidiary to their Lectures, and supply- ing a most important portion of the requisite edu- cation for the Ministry. I will conclude by once more reminding you that in dwelling on the advantages of the parochial system, and on the importance of the private minis- 36 PAROCHIAL VISITORS. trations of a Parish-Pastor, I am far from meaning to disparage either theological studies, or missionary enterprise, or public preaching of the Gospel : but merely inviting the attention which I think is justly due, to a less conspicuous and imposing, but not less important or less difficult branch of the chris- tian Minister's duties. THE END. THOUGHTS ON THE I PEOPOSED REVISION OF THE LITUEGY. \ BEING A C H A R G E, j I DELIVERED AT i THE VISITATION OF THE DIOCESES OF DUBLIN AND KILDAEE, On the 14th and i^th Jime, 18 bo. By RICHARD WHATELY, D.D. A&CUSISMOP OF DUBLIN. LONDON: JOHN W. PARKER AND SON, WEST STRAND. DUBLIN: HODGES AND SMITH, GEAFTON STREET. i860. LONDON : SAVILL AND EDWARDS, PKINTEES, CHANDOS STEEE COVENT GARDEN. CONTENTS. PAGE Reasons urged for a Revision . . . . . 5 Objections urged against all Change - - - - 13 Omission construed as Rejection - - - - - 15 Liturgical Revision and Doctrinal Reforms distinct - 19 Fair Procedure for any one desiring Change of Doctrine - 21 Right Procedure for Advocates of Revision - - - 24 Advantages of our Prayer Book 27 Advantage of fixed Forms - - - - - - 31 A 2 i I I I I A CHARGE, ETC. 1 "XT'OUR attention, no doubt, has been of late often turned to the question so much agitated for some time past, of proposed revisions of our Liturgy; and it is a question on which you will perhaps expect that I should put before you some remarks, and offer some suggestions as to your own proceedings ; although it is a question on Avhich you must be aware no Bishop individually has the power to decide, either generally or for his own diocese ; and on which, even if he had such power, he could not hope so to decide as to give universal satisfaction. § 1. No one, I think, of good sense Reasons and of candour can deny that on both urged for a sides — by the advocates and by the opponents of a revision — much has been advanced that has considerable weight, or at least much plausibility. On the one side it has been urged that our Reformers neither possessed nor claimed infalli- bility ; and, moreover, that even supposing them to have had the most undoubtins: confidence that 6 REASONS URGED FOR A REVISION. everything they appointed was the very best possible, at the time and under the circum- stances, they Avould not themselves have thence concluded, that it must be equally suitable for all future ages and for all changed circumstances. If, indeed, it had been possible for any system either of public worship or of ecclesiastical polity, to be equally adapted for all times and all countries, we might have expected to find in Scripture an exact description of it, and a strict injunction for ad- herence to it. But there is nothing enjoined in Scripture, nor anything even recorded as to the particulars of the apostolic regulations and prac- tices. And (as I have long since endeavoured to point out) the omission of such particulars as some of the Apostles or of their immediate attendants would have been likely, humanly speaking, to have recorded, and which I cannot but think some of the sacred writers would have recorded, had they not been by divine command withheld, is a strong indication both of the divine superintendence ex- ercised over them, and also of the will of God's providence that each Church should be left at large in all non-essential points, to enact, alter, and abrogate — in short, to " bind and loose" under heavenly sanction, according to the best of their human judgment, in reference to each time and place. And our Reformers aecordingl}i were so far from holding that "traditions" (meaning traditions as to such points as I have been alluding to) should REASONS URGED FOR A REVISION. 7 be everywhere " the same and utterly alike,"* or that everything they enacted should be like the laws of the Medes and Persians, " which alter not," that we read in the preface to the Prayer Book, that " it hath been the wisdom of the Church of England to keep the mean between too much stiff- ness in refusing, and too much easiness in admitting alterations." And our Reformers evidently always calculated on the continued existence of a regular Church- government, able and ready to introduce, from time to time, any such changes as circumstances might call for. They contemplated the continued action of Convocation, — not perhaps the best-constituted Body for such a purpose, but still a governing Body, and one which might conceivably be so remodelled as better to express the voice of the Church. And they contemplated a Parliament consisting wholly of members of the Church, and not so obviously ill-adapted as our present Houses of Parliament (however well-fitted for their other functions) to legislate for the Church. And it is urged by the advocates for revision, — not certainly without some show of reason, — that our very Reformers themselves, were they now living, would probably be among the very first to recommend some modifications of what they never designed to fix as unalterable. To take one instance out of many, in a matter * See 34th Article. 8 REASONS URGED FOR A REVISION. that is intrinsically of no very great importance, but wliicli may serve equally well to illustrate what has been just said. If you look to the opening of the Confirmation-Service, you will see that the Address there given has reference to the practice of the un-reformed Church, of adminis- tering the Rite to very young children ; a practice which was very properly and wisely changed: — " To the end that Confirmation may be ministered to the more edifying of such as shall receive it, the Church hath thought good to order, that none hereafter shall be confirmed but such as can say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Com- mandments; and can also answer to such other questions as in the short Catechism are contained : which order is very convenient to be observed," &c. This announcement of the rule laid down, and of the reasons for it, was suitable, and at the time needful ; but it is inconceivable that the framers of our Services could have designed that a change which has been fully established for 300 years, should continue for ever to be publicly announced to the congregation, and explained and vindicated. They would, doubtless, if now living, be among the first to propose that the words, if retained at all, should be retained as a rubric^ and not as an address to the candidates for Confirmation, and to the rest of the congregation. Then, again, the same principle which led them to change the practice of having the public Service REASONS URGED FOR A REVISION. 9 in a "tongue not understanded of the people," would doubtless have led them to change, from time to time, both in the Liturgy and in the Bible- version, such words and phrases as might have become so far obsolete as either to be not under- stood or (which is far more important) /nzs-under- stood. The words, as I formerly remarked to you, which are now entirely out of use, are much fewer in number, and far less liable to mislead, than those which are still in use, but with a con- siderable change of meaning. For example, the word convenient,^^ which occurs in the passage just cited, is not that which would now be used to express the sense designed. Nor would it now be used in the passage of Scripture where we read of " foolish talking and jesting, which are not conve- nient." So, also, the word " constantly," which is now obsolete in its ancient sense of " firmly" or " earnestly," would now be replaced by one of those words. The word " damnation" again, (in- tended as a translation of Kpl/na), is now under- stood by a large portion, at least of the less edu- cated classes, to imply eternal perdition ; and when so understood, has probably contributed to keep away many from attendance at the Lord's Table. And other like instances,* as you are doubtless well aware, might be specified. * Among many others may be mentioned the word "de- clare," which formerly signified to " make evident ;" and the word "allow" (derived from the French " allouer/' Latin "ad- 10 REASONS URGED FOR A REVISION. Our Reformers, again, would doubtless have modified the language of the hortatory warnings to those Avho are disposed to he communicants, Avhen it was found that the danger of rash, irreverent, and in that sense "unworthy" partaking, is one that hardly exists now, and has been succeeded by a too general neglect of the ordinance altogether; many being inclined — in some measure, probably, from the language of those exhortations — to con- sider that to absent themselves wholly, or at least to defer communicating till the death-bed, is to keep on the safe side. Their interpretation indeed of the languao-e of those exhortations is far from a reasonable one; but we must not calculate on all men's being perfectly reasonable, nor disregard the scruples and fears of weak brethren. And accord- ingly it is usual, and is a practice seldom if ever objected to, to abridge the exhortation in the Notice given for administration of the Sacrament. And the Rubric has long practically been disre- garded which requires that all who design to par- take should send in their names beforehand. There laudare"), which originally signified to '■ approve." (See Psalm xi. 6, P. B. version ; and Luke xi. 48.) I have seen in some publication a comment on the 21st Article, in which the writer understands the word "declare" in its present sense. And in an Essay " on the National Church" (in a vohime of Essays and Reviews, p. 182) the word " allow" is taken in its modern sense. In each case the whole argument turns on the misapprehension of the meaning of the words in question. SEASONS URGED FOR A REVISION. 11 are Many ministers, again, who read, instead of the word " damnation," " condemnation which is in fact only translating a word into a " tongue understanded of the people." But it is surely better that these things should be done under competent authority, and by a regular sanction of the Church, than by connivance at a departure from rules not formally abrogated.* Then, again, if our Reformers, supposing them now living, had found that the combining together of several Services, made the whole so long as to exhaust the attention of many persons, it is likely that they would recommend a curtailment of some portions. For instance, they might j^robably have directed a smaller portion of the Psalms to be used each day ; so as to spread out over half a year what is now gone through in a month.f Excellent as the Psalms are, no one can think them entitled to such a preference over the rest of Scripture as to make it necessary that they should be publicly read so many times oftener than almost any other part of Holy AVrit. * Much greater liberties than what I have now been allud- ing to, are taken by some pei-sons, who, at the same time earnestly deprecate any alterations regularly introduced by competent authority, and wish that all existing regulations should remain unchanged ; while they, in practice, assume for themselves an unlimited power of departing from those regula- tions to any extent, at their own individual discretion. t Some will urge in rejily that there are persons — and such persons as we all of \is ought to be — who can very well keep up 12 REASONS URGED FOR A REVISION. And Avlien it was found that there was a laro-e portion of the People whose attendance on both morning and evening Service could not be calcu- lated on, and that many of the humbler classes could attend only at the afternoon Service, it would pro- bably have been thought advisable to make some change in the Lessons appointed for each, so as to have some parts of the Gospels occasionally read in the afternoon. And, indeed, a complete re-arrange- ment of the Second Lessons seems very needful. For as these are, with a few exceptions, fixed in reference only to the days of the month, the result is, that the portions of the New Testament that are read on Sundays (when alone a full congregation can be expected) appear, practically, to be taken quite at random. And it might also be thought advisable to make a larger selection of Scripture-Lessons, and to spread these over two or three years, instead of having the same chapters constantly read every year ; while there are above a hundred chapters, (many of which no one would account less edifying their attention to two or three hours of devotional exercise ; and that there are others who can hardly keep up their atten- tion for ten minutes. For, in this case, as in many others, many men fall into the fallacy of assuming that every one must belong to one or other of two classes the most widely remote ; when in truth perhaps nine tenths of Mankind belong to neither, but are intermediate between them. Some of my clergy have proposed — and I have readily sanctioned the practice — to use the Litany by itself, as a special Service on ordinary week days. OBJECTIONS UKGED AGAINST ALL CHANGE. 13 than the others,) which are never read publicly at all. Again, if it were found that in many congrega- tions the Athanasian Creed was either not under- stood or misunderstood, and that parts of it gave a shock to the minds of some, and required long ex- planations, which to many would prove either not intelligible or unsatisfactory, it may be fairly con- cluded that the framers of our Services would consent to leave the use of that Creed, or of the Apostles' Creed instead of it, optional with each minister, as he might find best suited for his own flock. If, therefore, such changes as those alluded to, and a few others of a similar character, were now introduced, this would, it is urged, be far from implying any censure of our Reformers, or even any departure from their designs, but would be only what we may fairly suppose they would them- selves, if now living, have approved, and even recommended. And the introduction of the General Thanksgiving, many years after the first dra^ving up of our Liturgy, might be cited as an instance in which this principle was acted on without giving offence or causing alarm to any one. § 2. On the other hand, it has been urged that if any, even the slightest urged against change in what is now established, Change. should be even contemplated, many would rush forward, each with some proposed improvement of 14 OBJECTIONS URGED AGAINST ALL CHANGE. his own, and each disposed to be more dissatisfied than ever, if his favourite scheme were not adopted. There is hardly any part of our Services, it is urged, that some one might not think called for revision ; and that which satisfied and conciliated some, would be likely to displease even a greater number of others. So that many and great alterations would be called for, which, if introduced, would cause more dissatisfaction than exists now. Now it is true, that there is such an incurable diversity in men's judgments on practical points, that to give universal and complete satisfaction is hopeless. But if this be made a decisive argument against every proposal, we should come to the con- clusion not only that no change at all should ever be introduced in any system, law, or institution, but that no system should ever be even established. For if we were to wait for a universal concurrence, and to allow of no government or code of laws that was not regarded by every one as the best possible, we should be sentencing ourselves to remain for ever in a state of anarchy. Another objection which has been urged against any change, however small, is that our clergy, who have deliberately given their assent to our Formu- laries as they stand, cannot fairly be called on to assent, now, to anything new, and which, perhaps, they might — whether with or without good reason — consider objectionable. And this is certainly a decisive objection against the introduction of any OMISSION CONSTRUED AS REJECTION. 15 such change as should affect any point of doctrine. If, for instance, it were proposed to introduce (as has been lately done in another Church) some new dogma on a point which had hitherto been left open, and to insist on every one's subscribing to it, on pain of being denounced as heretical, this might justly be complained of. But where there is no matter of doctrine concerned, but only (as in the instances I have alluded to) some curtailments, and some change of obsolete words for such as are better understood, the objection does not apply- And accordingly it may be remarked, that the occasional prayers that are put forth from time to time, under the sanction of Orders in Council, and which con- tain nothing novel in doctrine, are usually acqui- esced in and used without objection. Where any scruple respecting them does exist, it is a scruple, not against the Forms in themselves, but as to the legality of the use of them ; it being held by some — and certainly not without at least some show of reason — that the adoption of them is a violation of the Act of Uniformity. But I believe that all those who do feel the scruple, would feel none, if by an Act of Parliament that authority were conferred on the Council, which they consider to be wanting. § 3. It has been urged, however, ^ . . and I must say, not without reason, construed us that there are some changes which may be, and which have been proposed, as involving no variation in point of doctrine, which yet are liable to 16 OMISSION CONSTRUED AS REJECTION. be understood as implying such variation, from the mere circumstance of their being changes. A pas- sage which might be such that no one would have excepted against it, supposing it to have been originally so framed, may prove objectionable if brought into that form by the omission of certain words — an omission which is liable to be inter- preted as a rejection of what those words expressed. It is vain to say that this inference ought not to be drawn, and that the mere absence of what might allowably have been absent, from the first, ought not to be regarded as any rejection. We may be as- sured that such an inference is likely to be, in fact, drawn; and that wherever there is, if I may so speak, an amputation, there will be a wound and a scar. And hence arises one of the chief difficulties attending most schemes of improvement. To take a familiar illustration. There are several christian Communions which do not introduce into their public Services the Decalogue, nor recite any of the Creeds, but which are not on that ground considered as holding Antinomian doctrine, or as having abandoned the Articles of Faith which the Creeds contain. But if any Church, which had formerly used the public recital of the Command- ments, and of a Creed, should afterwards expunge these from its Services, no one, I think, can doubt that such a suspicion would be likely to arise, and could not easily be allayed. The principle which I have been endeavouring to illustrate has been overlooked by some in the OMISSION CONSTEUED AS REJECTION. 17 changes they have proposed ; actuated, no doubt, by a sincere desire to make our Church as compre- hensive as possible, to allay disputes, and to satisfy the scruples of some, without requiring of the rest any unbecoming compromise. They wish to put an end, by fair means, to those disputes in parti- cular which have long agitated the Church, in re- ference to the Sacrament of Baptism. And this they think could be effected without an express assertion of the doctrines held by some of the clergy — doctrines which are at variance, I do not say with those of the Church, but with the most simple and obvious sense of some passages in our Formularies. The proposed alterations seek to satisfy all parties by leaving the question open, by a general and neutral language, not asserting the doctrines alluded to, but merely excluding an asser- tion of the opposite. It has been proposed accordingly that for the word " regeneration" we should everywhere substi- tute " admission into the visible Church," It may be said, that all parties agree in accounting Baptism an admission into the visible Church ; and that the question might thus be left open, whether the Church is, or is not, a spiritually endowed society ; and whe- ther any, or what benefit, beyond a mere empty name, is conferred on the recipient of christian baptism. I shall not now enter on any discussion of the doctrinal points on which the disputes have arisen which it is proposed in this mode to B 18 OMISSION CONSTRUED AS REJECTION. settle or to allay. In a former Charge (the substance of which was after re-published in a little tract on the two Sacraments), I endeavoured to shoAV that, at least in many instances, those dis- putes would be found, on careful and candid exa- mination, to be altogether verbal ; and that, there- fore, the unmeasured vehemence, and too often hostile bitterness, exhibited, were as uncalled for as they were unbecoming. It is a remarkable circum- stance, and well deserving to be kept in mind, that those expressions in our baptismal and other Ser- vices, which are by many persons complained of, now, seem to have created no dissatisfaction for a great number of years (at the time of the Refor- mation, and long after), during periods at wliich a very considerable portion of our clergy had more or less leaning towards Calvinistic views. It would s(;em as if some of the ministers of the Church, •now, had introduced a new sense of certain words, •such as was unthought of by our ancestors, and that they now seek to re-model our Formularies in -conformity with this innovation. There is, however, something plausible, at the first glance, in the proposal of adopting a neutral and general language, in which all might agree, though they Avould not all understand it in the same sense. And this might be very reasonable, if we were founding a new Church, and framing original formularies. But if any words are deliberately ex- punged from a passage in which they formerly REVISION AND REFORMS DISTINCT. 19 stood, and which has been long in use, this could not fail to be interpreted — whether justly or erro- neously— as a rejection of the doctrine which those words were supposed to imply. And this supposed rejection would be likely to displease at least as many as it would conciliate. An objection, there- fore, presents itself, which appears to me insuper- able, against such proposed changes as those which I have now been alluding to. § 4. Hitherto I have been speaking Liturgical 01 persons who proieSS (as 1 cannot Revision and doubt, most sincerely) to have no Doctrinal Re- forms distinct, thought of making any changes in the Church's doctrine^ and who merely aim (as a matter of expediency) at what may be properly and fairly termed a " revision of the Liturgy ^ But there are others who evidently aim, and some of them avowedly, at a reformation, at the same time, of our Church in its doctrinal teaching. Now if any one holds that the tenets of his Church are fundamentally erroneous and unscrip- tural, he is clearly justified in seeking (as our Re- formers did) to have these errors removed. And even those who may not agree with him as to what really is or is not an error, yet cannot blame him for endeavouring — in a modest, and charitable, and christianlike spirit — to rectify whatever he is con- vinced is fundamentally wrong, and to bring his Church, — or indeed any Church, — to a conformity with Scripture. But it is neither wise nor fair to B 2 20 REVISION AND REFORMS DISTINCT. blend together, by the employment of one name^ two things which are quite distinct, and which are not inseparable ; and to seek for a radical change of doctrine^ under the name of a revision of the Formu- laries. If any one is of opinion that both a doc- trinal reform, and also a revised Liturgy are necessary, he ought to come forward frankly, and avow his views, Avithout any insidious disguise. But evidently it is at least conceivable that a person may wish for the one of these and not for the other. He may see nothing unsound in the doctrines taught by our Church, and may depre- cate any departure from them; and yet he may, without inconsistency, wish for some alterations in the arrangements of our Services — for the abridg- ment of some that are found tediously long, — and for a change of some words or phrases that are obso- lete or ambiguous. Now any such person, whether judicious or not in his views, has a right to complain of any others who come forward, nominally concurring with him, but in reality cherishing widely different designs, and such as he utterly disapproves. It surely argues either excessive confusion of thought, or else disin- genuous artifice, to seek ostensibly for a modifica- tion of our Church-services, and then under cover of that, to aim at introducing some different views of Scripture-doctrine. To take a familiar illustration : any one who is about to make his Will, puts into the hands of a PROCEDUEE FOR CHANGE OF DOCTRINE. 21 lawyer a memorandum, stating in untechnical lan- guage his wishes as to the disposal of his property. The professional man draws up for him accordingly a Will in legal form, such as shall give effect to his intentions. If he thinks some of the bequests un- wise, he may, as a friend, advise his client to alter them. But if he should, unknown to the other, slip in, under colour of merely altering the language^ some words which would have the effect of completely defeating the testator's designs, every one would denounce such a procedure as most grossly unfair. In such a case, and in that to which I have brought it forward as a parallel, every sensible and fair-minded man will guard against either mislead- ing others or suffering himself to be misled, by con- founding together under a common name, things essentially distinct; and against covertly introduc- ing changes of matter under the disguise of changes of form. § 5. Let any one suppose the case of a priest of one of the unreformed f"'*" ceaure for churches, arriving at the conviction any one desir- that the sacrifice (as it is called) of the Xfrl7' ""^ Mass, and the invocation of departed saints, and other tenets and practices of his Church are fundamentally erroneous. What would be his procedure, supposing him a man of common sense and of scrupulous honesty? Surely he would not call for a mere revision of the 3Iass-book, but for a fundamental reformation in doctrine. He would at 22 FAIR PROCEDURE FOR ANY ONE once suspend his ministrations in that Church, and cease to administer ordinances which he believed to be unscriptural and superstitious. He would earnestly call on his Ecclesiastical Superiors to re- form the doctiines and the practices of their Church ; and if they steadily refused to do so, he would abandon its communion, and resign any office he might hold in it. But on the other hand, no one would be called on to take such steps as these, who was occupied merely about a question of expediency, not of prin- ciple, and who did not desire any doctrinal reform of his Church, but merely such changes in its Ser- vices as did not involve any points of faith, and which he might consider as tending to greater edi- fication. Suppose again, the case of a clergyman of the Church of Rome, or of any other Church, who should wish for the omission of expressions in its Formu- laries containing assertions of certain points of doctrine which he thought not essential to be insisted on, though he himself had no scruple in admitting them, and was seeking for this omission merely for the sake of some who did feel a conscientious scruple on these points, and were thereby forced into dis- sent : this proposal might seem not unreasonable, and at least worthy of some attention. But if he himself had long been convinced of the falsity of the doctrines in question, and sought the alteration for his own comfort's sake, on the very ground that DESIRING CHANGE OF DOCTRINE. 23 he was himself, by his own showing, in the daily habit of doing violence to his own conscience in the use of these Formularies, for the sake of retaining his office in his Church, such a man's conscience would not be thought to deserve any tender con- sideration. He would stand self-convicted of un- scrupulous sacrifice of principle for worldly ends. It may, perhaps, appear superfluous to have dwelt, even as briefly as I have done, on distinctions which are so very evident. But that confusion of thouo;ht which I have been noticinnj — or that arti- fice — whichever it may be in each instance, — is so prevalent at this time, that you cannot be too care- fully on your guard against it. 1 cannot wonder that from this cause has arisen so much suspicion and dread of any proposal for even the most cautious and moderate revision of our Liturgy, that many are prepared strenuously to oppose it, who think that it is in itself desirable, and what might be eff'ected with safety, were it not for the inconsiderate rashness of some who call for it, and the insidious designs of others. Of all obstacles to improvements of every kind, in all de- partments of life, there is none so great as a dread — especially when it is a reasonable dread — of a mischievous revolution. Even when nothing is actually proposed that is at all exceptionable, any connexion of the proposers with persons who have given indications of having ulterior and dangerous designs, will naturally excite suspicion and alann. 24 EIGHT PROCEDURE FOR ADVOCATES OF REVISION. Right Pro. § 6. I would, therefore, suggest to cedure for any One wlio tliinks — as I am free to con- Revision! ""^ ^^^^ ^ myself — that the introduction of some small and well-considered alter- ations might be attended with great benefit to the Church, and might be so brought about as not to cause alarm or disgust,- — I would suggest to any such person who has not finally abandoned all hope of this, that he should take occasion to protest as strongly as possible against all great and sweeping changes, and most particularly against such changes as would involve a departure, or the suspicion of a departure, from the doctrines of our Church, dis- guised under the form of an improved Liturgy. That every alteration, however slight, does not necessarily disgust the members of a Church, or unsettle their minds, and fill them with a dread of contmual fresh innovations, is proved by expe- rience. When a totally new form of words — the General Thanksgiving — (which I just now alluded to) was introduced into a Liturgy which had long been in use without it, no objection or alarm ap- pears to have arisen; and in the American Epis- copal Church — an oflf-shoot from ours — some other and more considerable modifications of their Church- service have been introduced, apparently without causing dissatisfaction in any quarter. But any one who is an advocate for moderate and cautiously considered alterations, is the very person who ought to show himself the most vehe- EIGHT PROCEDURE FOR ADVOCATES OF REVISION. 25 ment in opposing and deprecating all rash, and great, and sweeping innovations. Those, again, who are convinced that the doc- trines of our Church are essentially erroneous, and require a fundamental reformation, should be earnestly called on to avow their object frankly and openly. Be their theological views right or wrong, it cannot be fair and honourable to bring forward covertly a change of faith disguised as a liturgical revision. And those who are sincerely attached to the doctrines of the Church, should be carefully warned not to allow themselves to be deluded into unde- signedly furthering the object of others who are in reality aiming at a departure from those doc- trines. Great as are the impediments that have been raised to any moderate, well-considered, and salu- tary alterations in our Services, by injudicious, and by disingenuous advocates of alteration, I do not even yet despair of some beneficial changes being warily introduced, provided the cautions are attended to which I have now been pressing on your attention. No change, indeed, in anything, nor again any retention of an unchanged state, can be expected to give full satisfaction to all. But I must repeat my full conviction that an3'thing which should clearly be shown to be no departure from the principles of our Reformers, but on the contrary a manifest carrying out of their prin- 26 RIGHT PROCEDURE FOR ADVOCATES OF REVISION. ciples, would be highly satisfactory to most, and Avould offend or alarm merely some few (and that only for a short time) of the most unthinking, and the most unreasonably timid. Any judicious revision of our Formularies would proceed I think on the same principles which I set before you in a former Charge, in reference to the proposed revision of our authorized version of Scrip- ture. I suggested that in such a work, an altered rendering should never be at once introduced into the text, except when it was such as one might fairly conclude would be approved by all — or very nearly all — of those who could be regarded as at all competent judges ; that again, where there might be supposed to be a ver}^ general, yet not quite universal agreement, the amended Version should be placed in the margin, and the substi- tution of it for the other left optional with the reader; and wherever there were any considerable differences of opinion, the passage should be left unaltered. Now a like course I think it is plain ought to be pursued in any revision of the Liturgy : that is, any alteration which it might be presumed all would approve, should be introduced at once; and those likely to be approved by a large majority, but not by all, should be left optional ; each minister being allowed to use this Form or that, and to read or omit certain passages, according as he may judge will be the most edifying to his own flock. ADVANTAGES OF OUR PRAYER BOOK. 27 I have thought it right, my reverend brethren, to lay before you these remarks, in the hope that they may suggest to some of you matter for useful reflection, with a view to emergencies that are likely to arise, if not while I remain among you, at least not long after my departure. I think it not improbable, and it certainly is not impossible, that, notmthstanding the great obstacles to such a mea- sure as the revision of our Services — obstacles chiefly created by the advocates of it — renewed at- tempts in that direction will be made, whether wisely or unwisely, and whether with or without success : and it behoves, therefore, every sincere, and zealous, and judicious friend of the Church to be pre- pared beforehand with sound views on the subject, and to have made up his mind deliberately as to what he should advocate, and what he should oppose. § 7. In the mean time, it is the duty of each of our Pastors (as I pointed Advantages of our Prayer out in a former Charge) to be diligent Book. in explaining to his People, our Li- turgy and all our Formularies ; that they may be taught to " pray with the spirit, and to pray with the understanding also." And in this work you may derive assistance from some publications that are easily accessible, and some of which are such as no one need be ashamed to resort to for that as- sistance.* I may add that explanations may be * See Lectures on the Prayer Book, by the Rev. H. H. DickinsoQ. (Parker. West Strand.) 28 ADVANTAGES OF OUR PRAYER BOOK. needful of many passages that are not at all in themselves obscure, but are ill understood merely- through that inattention to the sense which is so often the result of very early and very \oxi^ fami- liarity with the sound of the words. And pains should be taken to point out to your People the great and various excellencies of our Prayer Book; which are apt to be in a great measure overlooked by many persons, through very early and long familiarity. In all matters, such familiarity is likely to blind men to excellencies more than to defects. And accordingly, I have observed (as probably some of you have) that per- sons brought up in some different Communion, and who at mature age have joined our Church, have usually a higher admiration of the beauties of our Liturg}^ than most of those who have been members of the Church from childhood. That Liturgy does not indeed claim to be an inspired work ; nor are we bound to maintain that it is absolutely perfect: but, for sound doctrine, and pure and fervent, and yet calm and sober piety, our Prayers may well challenge a comparison with any human compositions extant. You should teach your People therefore that they will be more profitably employed in using aright, and in study- ing, our Prayer Book, than in listening to critics who seek to display their ingenuity by looking out for defects in it. If, instead of having the use of such a book, our congregations were left (accord- ADVANTAGES OF OUR PRAYER BOOK. 29 ing to the practice of some Churches) to listen to the prayers composed by tlieir respective pastors, though some of these might be very edifying, it can hardly be thought that all, or that most of them, would be superior, or even nearly equal, to the Forms we use. And it should be remembered by every one who by his example, or otherwise, encourages the practice of substituting (either wholly or partially) extemporaneous prayer in a Congregation, for fixed Forms, that however sound, and discreet, and every way well qualified, he may himself be, he is giving a i^recedent likely to be followed by others who may be very much the reverse, but Avho may have equally great confi- dence in themselves. For, it would be idle to think of laying down as a rule, that those only are to adopt a certain practice who are judicious and thoroughly competent for it; leaving each to judge for himself of his own competency. A large pro- portion of all the evils that have ever existed in the world may be traced in great measure to the ill-following of precedents good in themselves. Some confirmation of what I have been saying is afforded by many pamphlets and tracts that are extant — many of which have recently appeared — composed by persons who were Avriting expressly in disparagement of our Liturgy, and advocating, in preference, prayers framed by themselves and their fellow-labourers. In perusing many of these tracts, a man of sound sense and good taste will be 30 ADVANTAGES OF OUR PRAYER BOOK. likely to consider, Avken he observes how little there is to approve in what these writers have deliberately committed to paper ^ that a congregation which should have to substitute for our Prayer-Book the extem- poraneous effusions of such authors, would be far indeed from being profited by the exchange. You should also point out to your People the advantage of the incidental instruction in christian doctrine that is to be derived from our Prayer- Book; which thus furnishes a standing check, and a corrective of any Pastor's teaching who may be unsound; and in some degree supplies the defi- ciencies of one who is negligent. Any minister of our Church who should deprave or keep out of sight the main doctrines of the Gospel, would be, when reciting the words of our Liturgy, bearing witness against his own errors. Some of those Churches, accordingly, which have repudiated the use of all fixed Forms, have (as you are doubtless well aware), experienced the conse- quences of the absence of such a check. In the United States of America, in particular, and also on the European Continent, and even in our own country, not a few Congregations have gradually and insensibly slid into a religious persuasion the most widely removed from that of their original founders. It may indeed be urged that the doctrines fixed in an established Formulary may conceivably be erroneous. And no doubt there Avould thence be ADVANTAGE OF FIXED FORMS. 31 a great danger of permanent adherence to error, in any Church that claims — which ours does not — complete infallihility . But it does not follow from this admission, that no degree of fixedness and of uniformity of doctrine is desirable. Doctrines de- liberately and advisedly laid down, and, if needful, deliberately and advisedly altered, if judged on careful consultation to require it, are surely not more likely to lead men astray, than the unchecked teaching of a great variety of ministers, of very various degrees of intelligence, and of learning, and of sound sense. It is possible indeed that a ship may, under the guidance of a rudder, and compass, and charts, be steering a wrong course ; and as soon as the mistake is detected, it ought carefully to be rectified But no safety would be attained by leaving the vessel to be driven about at random by every wind that blows. § 8. On the employment, generally. Advantage of fixed Forms for Public Worship, of fixed many writers have treated, who have maintained the allowahleness of them, and have spoken of the antiquity of the custom, and the sanction given to it by Him who taught his dis- ciples a form of Prayer. But I do not think they have always sufiicicntly dwelt on what appears to me by far the most important consideration : which is, that the use of a pre-composed Form is, if not essential, at least, by far the most conducive, to the attainment of that especial blessing which is pro- 32 ADVANTAGE OF FIXED FORMS. mised to joint-prayer — what is called in the prayer we adopt from Chrj'sostom, " common supplica- tions." Our Blessed Lord, in addition to what He had said about private prayer in the closet, has promised to worshippers gathered together in his Name, and " agreeing together touching something they shall ask," that his and our Heavenly Father will listen to them with especial favour. Now this agreement it will often be impossible, and generally difficult to obtain, in a prayer which the worshippers hear for the first time. Each hearer must not only understand each passage that is uttered, but must reflect on it, so as to consider whether he can adopt it as his own, and heartily join in it; and in the mean time it is likely that another and another sentence "vvill have been uttered, before he has had time to give or to withhold his assent to the first ; and the result will often be, that the congregation will not have been really themselves praying, but rather overhearing another praying. And, more frequently still, the so-called prayer mil be rather a sermon, couched in the form of a prayer, than a real supplication to heaven — rather a hortatory address to the congregation, than an address of the congregation to God.* Now, * The following instance, which came under my own know- ledge, may serve as a specimen of an occurrence not unlikely to take jjlace : — A Clergyman having delivered a lecture in which he ex- pounded a certain portion of Scripture, another Clergyman who ADVANTAGE OF FIXED FORMS. 33 though a sermon is, of course, not in itself deserv- ing of censure or neglect, it is better that it should be delivered as a sermon and not disguised in a precatory form ; which is likely to mislead tlie hearers, who perhaps listen to it with attention and with interest, but deceive themselves with the belief that they are actually engaged in pi^ayer, when in fact they are not. There is a distinction which, though very evident, is sometimes overlooked, between congre- gational prayer, and a sermon^ in this respect, that it is not necessary for the hearers to give their assent to everything they may hear in a sermon ; while a prayer, on the other hand, is not a prayer of theirs, unless they agree in it. A sermon may be on the whole very useful and edifying, and may be so esteemed by the hearers, and yet may contain some things which they do not ap[)rove, or concerning which they feel a doubt; but evidently it is not so with a prayer which professes to be the joint- prayer — the "common supplication" — of the wor- shippers. This, again, appears to be sometimes forgotten was present, aud who entirely disagreerl with the former in liis exposition of the passage, conchided the business of the Meeting witli an extempore prayer, in which he introduced an interpre- tation of the passage in question completely opposed to that of the Lecturer who was kneeling beside him. Whatever may be said in favour of religious controversy, this surely is the most objectionable form in whicli it can be cai-ried on. C 34 ADVANTAGE OF FIXED FORMS. (though quite evident) by some very zealous ad- vocates of extemporaneous prayer, who disparage the use of pre-composed Forms, and all adoption of another's devotional language, — that no prayer can possibly have the freedom of extempore prayer ex- cept to the one individual who utters it. If any one delivers an extempore prayer in a congregation, they, if they join in it, and really pray with him and with each other, are just as much adopting another's words, and using a Form, as we who employ a fixed Liturgy. His prayer may be conceivably either better or worse than ours, which were deliberately and carefully framed; but it is necessarily a pre- scribed form to every one except the one person who utters it.* Let our people then be induced, if possible, not indeed to take upon them to censure, or to exult over, those of other Communions, but thankfully to avail themselves of the advantages possessed by our OAvn, in having a fixed Liturgy, and such a one as, though not pretending to inspiration, or to complete perfection, has excellencies which may enable it, as it is, to challenge a comparison Avith almost any human composition extant. That any composition, or any system or institution, is not absolutely incapable of improvement, is no reason * See the Bishop of Cork's Letter to his Clergy. ADVANTAGE OF FIXED FORMS. 35 why we should not appreciate its merits as it is, and make a profitable use of it. And it should be pointed out to the People, that they should not suppose there is necessarily more piety shown, or more edification obtained, by attending irregular Meetings, and listening to the extemporaneous effusions of self-appointed teachers (some of whom may chance to be not discreet or otherwise well qualified) than in careful and de- vout attendance on the regular ministrations of our Church. That those ministrations may be so con- ducted by diligent and judicious pastors of our Church as to meet what may be called the extraor- dinary demand for public Services which has arisen in some places under that strongly aroused religious feeling known by the name of " Revival," — this is what has been fully ascertained by experience. A man of sound and sober-minded, though fervent christian zeal, will seek so to avail himself of any such excitement, as to guard against the many and great evils which may ensue from it, and at the same time to turn it to good account. The same strong gale of wind which drives the ship of a care- less or unskilful navigator on to shoals or rocks, will help that which is wisely steered to reach " the haven where they would be." Such a man will not, on the one hand, hail with thoughtless exultation, as an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, any fanatical outbreaks, or screams, 36 ADVANTAGE OF FIXED FORMS. faiiitiiigs, and hysterical tits, and transports Avhich have, in several late instances, ended in hopeless insanity ; nor will he presume to compare manifestations of this kind Avith the miraculous gifts bestowed at the day of Pentecost ; nor will he encourage any to believe, when their feelings are strongly excited, that their christian reformation is completed, and their salvation secured, without need of their daily " giving diligence to make their calling and election sure nor, on the other hand, will lie shrink with dread, or disgust and con- tempt, from every appearance of ncAvly-awakened religious feelings, on account of the faults and follies which in injudicious hands have often resulted. Such faults and follies will almost always be found attendant, along with good effects, on every agi- tating movement of human minds. And those espe- cially to whom religion itself is almost a novelty — novel, at least, as a thing to be seriously attended to — will be very likely to have an inordinate craving after novelty, and (as the Apostle Paul found in his own times) to "heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears." We all know, for instance, the extravagant fanaticism that arose at the time of the great Reformation, among the Munster Ana- baptists and many others; and which, doubtless, contributed to keep many persons in subjection to a corrupt and tyrannical Church; like mariners clinging to a barren rock for fear of being lost in ADVANTAGE OF FIXED FORMS. 37 the waves. And the like took place among the Fifth-Monarchy -men (as they were called) in our own country, and the pretended French Prophets. When the numbing frosts of winter are succeeded by warm summer showers, which rouse up nature from its torpor, it is to be expected that rank weeds will spring up, and if unchecked, will flourish along with useful plants ; and it would be a folly to neglect either rooting out the one, or sedulously cultivating the other. He who sends rain and sunshine on the earth, the same has endowed us with bodily and with mental powers to enable us to make use of his gifts : and these powers we should thankfully, and diligently, and carefully employ, if we would obtain the good, and avoid the evils, that are placed before us. Let men, then, be duly warned that if they are truly influenced by God's Holy Spirit they will " bring forth the fruits of the Spirit ;" and that " the fruit of the Spirit" is not extravagances of any kind, but " love, joy, peace, long-suff'ering, gentle- ness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." Let them be warned that the seed which fell on the rock may be said to have experienced a "new birth," inasmuch as from a grain it sprouted and shot up into a plant ; it had undergone what may be called a conversion, being converted from a bare seed into a growing herb : but having no deep root it withered away and " brought no fruit to perfec- 38 ADVANTAGE OF FIXED FORMS. tion." But let them be encouraged to trust that if, through divine help, they "run with patience the race that is set before them," " in due season they will reap if they faint not." Let them be taught to " work out their salvation with fear and trembling," " since it is God that worketh in them both to will and to do of His good pleasure." THE END. DANGER FROM WITHIN. A CHAKGE, DELIVERED AT THE ANNUAL VISITATION OF THE DIOCESES OE DUBLIN AND GLANDELAGH, AND KILDARE. June, 1861. / By RICHARD WHATELY, D.D. ARCEBISEOF OF DUBLIN. ToO d.woaTr§.v Tovi ixadrjTai dwlffCiO ayruc.'— ACTS xx. 30. 'Are there not with you, even with you, sina against the Lord your Godf — 2 Chron. xxviii. 10. LONDON : - PARKER, SON, AND BOURN, WEST STRAND. DUBLIN : HODGES AND SMITH, GRAFTON STREET. 1861. CONTENTS. PAGE Dedication ------- - - 5 Prevailing Agitation of Mind ----- 7 Right of Private Judgment - - - - - -10 Causes of Wrong Decisions - - - - - -12 Our Churcli not a Party - - - - - -14 TJnfiiir Modes of Interpretation - - - - - 1 5 Recent Attacks on our Religion - - - - - 1 cS Neglected Truths and Reactions from Errors - - - 22 Dangers from Presumptuous Language - - - - 27 Rash Appeals to Scripture ------ 30 Daring Attempts to explain Mysteries - - - - 3. '5 Unwise Defenders of Religion 34 A 2 DEDICATION. My dear Mr. Dixon, — For a considerable portion (perhaps the most important portion) of this Charge I am indebted to a suggestion from you. It seems therefore no more than reasonable that the Publi- cation should be inscribed to you. Moreover there is an Article from your pen (and though it is anonymous, I do not apprehend you have any wish to make a secret of the Author- ship) in the Periodical called the Christian Advo- cate* so closely coinciding in substance with a great part of what I have here said, that any one who reads both the one and the other, can h'^^rdly fail to conclude that one of the two (as is the fact) was taken from the other. * Published by Werthcim and Macintosh. Vi DEDICATION. I feel bound therefore to counteract, as far as lies in myself, the belief which would be likely to arise, that 1 am the Author of both.* I take this opportunity of publicly acknow- ledging my obligation to you, for many years of valuable services as one of my Chaplains. Believe me to be Very sincerely yours, Ed. DUBLIN. To the Eev. EoBEET V. Dixon, A.M., Ex-F.T.C.D., Eector of Clogherny. * It is the more needful to guard against any such mistake, because there are some Articles in that Periodical which really were written by me. A CHARGE, ETC, $ 1. ^HESE are times, my Reverend -n, .,. ■^1 T J I'revailnig Brethren, in which (as no Agitation of one, I conceive, can doubt) an unusual degree of agitation prevails, among all who feel an interest in what pertains to Religion. Hopes and fears, — anxieties and apprehensions, — curiosity and expectations — of various kinds — are felt both by friends and by adversaries of our Church. And many feel themselves called on to use efforts, or to excite others to exert themselves, either to in- troduce what they consider beneficial changes, or to guard against some apprehended dangers. On the causes of some of these apprehensions, I have on former occasions laid before you sucli observations as occurred to me. In particular, I, last year, adverted to the eager desire shown by some persons for alterations in the Services of our Church, and to the aversion and alarm evinced by others, at any proposal of the kind. Among those wlio feel such alarm, there are not a few Avho fully admit the desirableness, in itself, of some abridg- ments, and some changes of expression in portions 8 PKEVAILING AGITATION OF MIND. of our Formularies, but who dread, — and not with- out reason, — a surreptitious introduction of funda- mental changes of doctrine, under the disguise of mere alterations of form, or of expression. Any- one may be a sincere and faithful Minister of our Church, though advocating — whether wisely or unwisely — the curtailment, for reasons of mere ex- pediency, of Services which he considers tediously long, and the change of some ambiguous or obsolete words and phrases. But if a Minister of any Church — whether our own, or that of Rome, or any other — is convinced that its teaching is erroneous and unscriptural, he is bound as an honest man, while calling for a reformation of doctrine, to do so plainly and avowedly; and in the meantime to forego his ministrations in that Church, and re- nounce the emoluments of its offices. But when a disguised hostility is detected in some professed members of our Church, a suspicion is raised not only against them, but also against all others who advocate any kind of change. For, it is one great evil of any disingenuous procedure, that it gene- rates a universal distrust. And thus it is that the greatest obstacle to any proposed Revision, is raised by some of the very advocates of it themselves. Still greater alarm however has of late been excited by some who are very far from calling for any change of language in our Formularies, but who advocate a system of interpretation, both of them, and of the Scriptures, in a kind of " non-natural PKEVAILING AGITATION OF MIND. 9 sense," such, that anything may be made of any- thing; and that a person who believes no more of the religion of our Church, and of the Bible, than of the Heathen Mythology, may yet rank himself among our Ministers. The alarm and agitation of mind thus excited, must itself tend, in one respect, to augment the danger. For whatever is thought to be formidable, is formidable ; since the dread that any attack ex- cites, adds force to the attack. An army that is in reality weak, may effect a conquest, if it is be- lieved to be irresistibly strong. The arguments (however in themselves weak) and the cavils pre- tending to novelty, but in reality stale, and long ago refuted, that are brought forward, will be sup- posed to be very powerful, if it be found that they create a general dismay. And when even the most opposite Parties among the Members of our Church are found uniting together in the most vehement protests and denunciations of some assailant, this will be understood as a proof that it is against no contemptible foe that they are thus combined. IMorcover, it is not unlikely that something of a reaction of feeling may arise, in favour of any per- sons who may appear to be (in the popular phrase) hunted down by clamour. Vehement censure and declamation, proceeding from persons of Avhom few have brought forward any strong argumentative answer to what they condemn, and of whom many know nothing of it except from reports at second 10 EIGHT OF rillVATE JUDGMENT. or third hand, will be likely, not only, as has been said, to suggest the idea that it is something very powerful, but also to awaken sympathy in behalf of those who are so opposed. Eight of ^ ^' ^^^y expect (indeed FrivateJudg- something of the kind has, I believe, already taken place) that an outcry will be raised against a supposed attempt to re- strict that right of private judgment which is the characteristic claim of all Protestants; — to make an appeal to Church-decisions, instead of to Truth and Reason, and to substitute what is called the " per- sonal argument" — the argumentum ad hominem, as applying to certain individuals — for a refutation of what they maintain. Now in all this there is a great proportion of fallacy, though of such fallacy as is likely to pre- vail widely. No doubt the main point to be ulti- mately established is the truth or falsity of what- ever is taught : but it does not at all follow that the question of who, and what, the teacher is, and under Avhat circumstances, is a matter quite insig- nificant, and which ought to be wholly dismissed from our thoughts. The personal argument is not necessarily unfair. A man who is maintaining even doctrines in themselves true, is deserving of severe censure, if he continues a nominal Member and Minister of a Church opposed to those doc- trines, and a recipient of its emoluments. Even supposing, therefore, that the teaching of our EIGHT OF PRIVATE JUDGMENT. 11 Church were fundamentally unsound, this would be no justification of any one who, — thinking this, — still continued, from motives of personal advan- tage, to subscribe to Formularies, and to admi- nister Eites, which he himself believed to be un- scriptural. And if the Bible itself were in reality destitute of truth, this would not excuse, in point of honest}^, one who — ^vith. that conviction — called himself a Christian, and officiated as a Christian Minister. No one could deprecate more sincerely tlian myself any attempt to infringe liberty of con- science, and the right of private judgment. But this does not imply that a man should be free to hold office in any society whose principles he re- jects, or Avhose rules he sets at nought. This re- striction is universally admitted and acted on, in all secular concerns. Any Club, for instance, or other such Association, though not compelling any one to become, or to remain a member, yet re- quires every member, while he continues such, to comply with its regulations. Domestic Slavery, again, is unknown in this Realm; but it would be absurd for any one who chose to engage in the service of another, to continue receivinjc his wajres, yet hold himself free to disregard his Master's orders. Those therefore who so conduct them- selves in reference to a Church Avliich they are at liberty to withdraw from if they see cause, are justly deserving of censure, whether their private 12 CAUSES OF WRONG DECISIONS. judgment be right or wrong on any particular point. Our Church does not presume — like the Romish — to denounce, as excluded from the christian Covenant, all who do not belong to her Communion : but it excludes from that Communion (as every Church must do) those whose views are at vari- ance, in fundamental points, with its teaching. And any one whose conscience revolts from the doctrine and practice of the Church, and yet permits him to hold office in it, and to partake of its endow- ments, must have a conscience most strangely per- verted. Causes of § ^' But when men decide wrongly wrong Bed- in any matter, this will generally be sions. found to proceed, partly or wholly, from their placing before the mind, not the ques- tion that is really the one at issue, but some other, which, whether rightly or wrongly decided, is nothing to the purpose; and thus turning off the attention to what is irrelevant. Thus, a Jury will perhaps acquit a Prisoner of whose guilt they feel no doubt, because the ques- tion which they put before their own mind, is,- whether he deserves so severe a penalty as the Law awards. When the question is as to a man's obligation to fulfil an engagement which he has entered into, some will perhaps turn aside into a discussion of the question whether he was wise in making the CAUSES OP WRONG DECISIONS. 13 engagement. If it be inquired whether toleration shall be extended to those of a religious persuasion which we think erroneous, you will perhaps be met by an inquiry as to the erroneousness of their Creed. And when the question is whether a man shall be allowed to spend his income and to educate his children in the way he himself thinks best, or, shall be under the control of others, the question which will perhaps be brought forward will be whether his mode of procedure is the best. Thus, again, if you ask whether it is justifiable for a Minister of our Church to set aside the authority of Scripture, or to interpret it in a sense quite remote from that of the Church, you will perhaps be met by a reference to some (so-called) philosophical principles, and to conjectures re- specting supposed probabilities; or you will be called upon to discuss questions about liberty of Conscience in the abstract; or you will be asked whether you claim infallibility for our Church. And, again, if you inquire whether it is allowable for any one continuing to hold office in our Church, to advocate fundamental changes in its doctrines, you will perhaps be met by discussions as to the soundness and scriptural warrant of its doctrines. All these are questions which it may be very right and important to discuss ; but they should be discussed separately and distinctly, and not con- fusedly blended together, and substituted for one another. 14 OUR CHURCH NOT A PARTY. § 4. In considering any question, Our Church -i . i • . i i • r- not a Party. "Owever, Connected with the clauns of our Church, there is one point which it is important not to overlook, and which is one of the characteristics of that Church, as distinofuislied from the Romisli ; namely, that its chiims are definite^ while the claim of the Church of Rome is indefinite. A Minister, or any other Member, of our Churcli, has placed before him distinctly what he is called on, — as such, — to subscribe to, and to believe, and to do. Be the doctrines sound or unsound — the formularies wisely or unwisely framed — at any rate we know beforehand what they are. But a Member of the Church of Rome, on the other hand, is required to receive not only whatever has been laid down by that Church, but whatever may be hereafter. He subscribes as it were to a blank paper; and may be required at any time (as we have seen in a recent case) to accept, on pain of being condemned as heretical, some doctrine which great multitudes of Divines of that very Church had for Ages rejected. Now this it is which may properly be regarded as constituting that Church a Party; while ours is not such. Were our Confessions of Faith, and our Formularies more stringent than they are, — were they even unsound and erroneous, — still, as long as they are definitely laid doAvn, they would not give our Church the character of a Party. The very essence of Party, is, its being a general and UNFAIR MODES OF INTERPRETATION. indefinite bond of union — a combination of persons agreeing to do, or to assent to, whatever shall be resolved on by the majority, or the leading mem- bers of that Association. It is not because our Church is scriptural, or because moderate, or charitable, but because it is definite^ that the character of Party does not apply to it Our Church, in short, or any other such Association, is of the character of that kind of partnership which is under the system of what is called " Limited liability in which each partner is responsible onl}^ to a certain definite amount, and risks no more than Avliat he had deliberately staked. A member, on the other hand, of any Party, is, at it were, engaged in an ordinary partnership, in wliicli each is responsible for all the acts, and all the debts, of the Firm, and has staked his whole property.* § 5. One mode (it is worth re- „ . , ^ Unfair Modes marking) by which some persons justify of Interpre- that inconsistency which I have above alluded to, is, by fixing on some portion of our For- * One point of difference, however, there is, which it is worth while to notice, between the Romish Church and most other Parties. A Roman Catholic is bound not only to submit implicitly to the decrees of his Church, but also to avow this distinctly, and make public profession of ready obedience. With most other Parties it is the reverse. A man is usually allowed, and sometimes even re- quired, while strictly complying with all that his Party enjoins, at the same time strenuously to disavow all party-feeling, and en- deavour to persuade both others and himself, that he is acting entirely according to his own unbiassed judgment. 16 UNFAIR MODES OF INTERPRETATION. nmlaries to which they attach a meaning at vari- ance with some other portion, and then explaining away, or disregarding altogether, such portions as they do not fully approve. This process is a very easy one; and it is one which has often been applied to Scripture itself. That is, some passages of Scripture have been found which could be brought to bear a sense contrary to the obvious meaning of some other passages; and then, these latter have been either wholly passed over, or else tortured into a conformity with the interpretation put upon the others. Thus, some heretics in the earliest Ages of the Church, denied the reality of our blessed Lord's human nature, because they so expounded the declarations of his divine nature. And in a later Age, the converse doctrine was taught by those who maintained his simple humanity, and denied his divinity. Some have so interpreted the Epistles of Paul or of James, as to make those Apostles contradict each other; and some have so explained some por- tions of the writings of Paul himself, as to be in- consistent with other portions. So also some have placed the whole of Christi- anity in the performance of (supposed) good works; and others have so dwelt on the importance of Faith, as in effect to inculcate the Antinomian views of the ancient Gnostics. And many other such instances might be added. UNFAIR MODES OF INTERPRETATION. 17 But any one not destitute of good sense and of candour, would, in studying any composition for which he felt a respect — as, for instance, our For- mularies— endeavour to ascertain the real design of the Framers, by comparing one passage with another, and adopting the interpretation that would fairly reconcile them together. And if he found in the Formularies of any Church such a dis- crepancy on essential points as Avas quite insu- perable, so that one portion taught an important truth, and another, the falsehood, opposed to it, he would regard this as a sufficient cause, compelling him to renounce his position in that Church. He would not think it allowable to put his own sense on one part of a Document, and ignore (as the modern phrase is) all the rest ; or expound it in some " non-natural " sense ; nor Avould he discard as a Myth every portion of Scripture that did not agree with his preconceived notions. But when one party in the Church censure severely, and not without some reason — another party, for explaining aAvay, to suit their own views, one portion of our Formularies, while they them- selves put a no less forced construction, for their own purposes, on another portion, and incur, for so doing, an ecpially strong, and equally just, censure from their o])poncnts, it seems but too plain that neither party really disapprove of such a pro- cedure on account of its intrinsic unfairness, but merely when it makes against themselves. And B 18 KECENT ATTACKS ON OUR RELIGION. any liberty which either may claim to use tliis lax mode of interpretation, they must expect to find equally claimed by others who think quite diffe- rently from them. Recent At- § ^' for those recent bold Specu- late^* on our lations, which I adverted to in the e tgton. early part of this Charge, as having of late excited so much alarm, you will not, of course, expect me, on an occasion like the present, to enter on a full examination of them. A very conside- rable and most important portion of the publication I allude to, was evidently designed (though I be- lieve many persons are not aware of this) as an answer to the edition of Paley's Evidences^ pub- lished a short time before. And I accordingly lost no time in publishing a reply, in the fo7'm of a Postscript to that Work. And of that Reply no refutation (as far as I know) has ever been even attempted. I did not, however, name any Author or any book ; as I had no wish to engage in personal controversy, or to draw attention to Works of a dangerous tendency, and thus give them increased circulation. I thought it best therefore merely to bring forward what I thought satisfactory reasons, leaving each person to apply them as he might see occasion. At present I will only suggest a few conside- rations which I think are applicable in all cases of the kind. In the first place, we should be prepared to KECENT ATTACKS ON OUR RELIGION. 19 expect that much which is in substance far from novel, will from time to time be brought forward with some novelty of form, and will be paraded as a grand discovery, exciting much admiration in some, and not a little dismay in others. "In the pure and in the Physical Sciences," (says an able writer in tho, Edinburgh Review^) qzlqXx generation inherits the conquests made by its pre- decessors. No Mathematician has to re-demon- strate the problems of Euclid ; no Physiologist has to sustain a controversy as to the circulation of the blood; no Astronomer is met by a denial of the principle of gravitation. But in the Moral Sciences the ground seems never to be incontestably won : and this is peculiarly the case with respect to the sciences which are subsidiary to the arts of ad- ministration and legislation. Opinions prevail, and are acted on. The evils which appear to result from their practical application lead to inquiry. Their erroneousness is proved by Philosophers, is acknowledged by the educated Public, and at length is admitted even by Statesmen. The policy founded on the refuted error is relaxed, and the evils which it inflicted, so far as they are capable of remedy, are removed or mitigated. After a time, new theorists arise, who are seduced or impelled by some moral or intellectual defect or error to re- assert the exploded doctrine. They have become entangled by some logical fallacy, or deceived by some inaccurate or incomplete assumption of facts, B 2 20 RECENT ATTACKS ON OUR RELIGION. or think that they see the means of acquiring reputation, or of promoting their interests, or of gratifying their political or their private resent- ments, by attacking the altered policy. All popular errors are plausible; indeed, if they were not so, they would not be popular. The plausibility to which the revived doctrine owed its original currency, makes it acceptable to those to whom the subject is new; and even among those to whom it is familiar, probably ninety- nine out of every hundred are accustomed to take their opinions on such matters on trust. They hear with surprise that what they supposed to be settled is questioned; and often avoid the trouble of inquiring, by endea- vouring to believe that the truth is not to be ascer- tained. And thus the cause has again to be pleaded, before judges, some of whom are prejudiced, and others will not readily attend to reasoning- founded on premises which they think unsus- ceptible of proof." This Writer's general remarks are — as I hardly need remind you — perfectly applicable in all matters connected with religion. Anything, Avhether true or false, that has long been laid by, and lost sight of, will, when revived (as it is likely to be) after a considerable interval, be regarded as a novelty, and will, to most men, practically he such.* * Something not unlike the system of Epicurus, as set forth by- Lucretius, was maintained in the last century, by the French Philo- RECENT ATTACKS ON OUR RELIGION. 21 And thus perhaps some long-neglected truth may be condemned as a perilous innovation, or some long-exploded error will be announced as a grand discovery. Thus, on the one hand, most Romanists are taught to believe that the Reforma- tion, which was an attempt at a Restoration of primitive Christianity, was a new religion invented by Luther. And on the other hand any false doc- trines, or any objections either to Christianity generally, or to some particular Church, which have at. one time obtained currency, and have been answered and refuted, and nearly forgotten, will perhaps be revived under new names, and with some slight change of form, and will then take most persons by surprise : and the battle will have to be fou^jht over again. A city which has successfully stood a siege, will often be found, after a long interval of peace, with its fortifications decayed, and its suburbs croAvded with houses and plantations, that may afford shelter Bopher Lamarck ; and after being then opposed and (as was thought) finally refuted, has been revived, M ith some slight modifications, in our own time. Again, the doctrine which denies the Moral-faculty of Man, and all intrinsic distinction of moral right and wrong, independent of express precept, — this doctrine, which was well known in Aristotle's time, and noticed by him, was brought forward, long after, by Ilobbes ; and having been then strongly opposed, and believed to be finally exploded, was revived by Paley, in a Work which was made a University text-book. And many other similar instances might be found. 22 NEGLECTED TRUTHS AND REACTIONS. to an assailing enemy. And any one who, in a time of peace, foresees this possible danger, and wishes to put the city into a defensible state, will perhaps be censured as an alarmist, and as seeking to cause unnecessary expense and labour. And in like manner, any one who attempts to bring before the mass of ordinary Christians the Evidences of their religion, so that they may be " ready to give a reason of the hope that is in them," will perhaps be, by some derided, as under- taking a useless and hopeless task, and by some, even censured as filling men's minds with doubts, and preparing them to become unbelievers. And then, when some unexpected assault is made on our Faith, the very persons who had despised timely preparation, are overwhelmed with sudden alarm. § 7. The other suggestion that I Truths!^'^lld would offer, is, that whenever any false Reactions doctrinc is promulgated, we should from Errors. , . . . make it our first inquiry what admix- ture of truth there may be in it, and what opposite error may have been prevalent, from which it is a reaction. For, falsehood, we should remember, will seldom, if ever, gain admission, in a simple and un- disguised form. It is accepted not for its own sake, but on account of the truth that is combined with it. Poison is usually administered with an admixture of wholesome food. And a Fallacy, — at least any that is likely to deceive, — "is (as the late Bishop Copleston used to say) a combination of NEGLECTED TRUTHS AND EEACTIONS. 23 truth and falsehood in which the ingredients are so intimately blended that the falsehood is — in chemical language — held in solution; and a drop of sound Logic is needed, as a chemical test, to pre- cipitate the foreign body." And any truth which has long been unduly ne- glected, will sometimes be at length as unduly over- rated, and brought forward in such an exaggerated form as to amount practically to error. And the exposure and refutation of some Avrong notion that has long prevailed, will often be followed by an eager welcome of some contrary extreme. And, again, it will often happen that the advo- cates of Truth sliall have incautiously laid down, in support of their cause, some unsound principle, which may be adopted by an opponent, and logi- cally followed out to some conclusion which they had not thought of, and which they would depre- cate. By looking out, then, for the operation of these causes, we shall be enabled to trace any error to its fountain-head ; and shall be the better qualified to oppose it. For instance, one of the doctrines of Avhich the recent promulgation has excited alarm, is, that a belief in Christianity has no foundation in any miraculous evidence; — that any belief in miracles, if it exist at all, must be an effect^ not a cause, of the reception of the Religion ; — that Religion alto- gether must be a mere matter of feeling ; and that 24 NEGLECTED TRUTHS AND REACTIONS. each person is to believe whatever is suited to his own wishes, and to the wants of which he is con- scious. Now all this is very much what has been main- tained by some zealous advocates of Christianity; and we cannot wonder that opponents should take advantage of such an admission. The late Mr. Coleridge, for example, says (along with much more to the same effect), " Evidences of Christianity ! I am weary of the word ; make a man feel the want of it, and you may safely trust it to its own evi- dence." Now, something might be said for this maxim, if all men were agreed in a desire for what- ever is really excellent, or if it were easy to " make every man feel " such desire. But as it is, men's tastes and wishes, and the " wants " they are con- scious of, differ widely, according to their several dispositions, natural and acquired. And they will therefore be likely, when acting (as men are apt enough to do) on the above maxim, by seeking, each, a religion suited to his own disposition^ and embracing it on that evidence alone — to pursue various courses. The majority, for instance, of the Jews of old did not " feel a want " of a religion which taught patience under Avrongs, and love to enemies : they wanted a temporal Christ who should free them from the Roman yoke, and exalt their nation to great earthly power and splendour; and accordingly they were " weary of evidence," and rejecting Jesus of Nazareth, followed pretended NEGLECTED TRUTHS AND REACTIONS. 25 Christs, whose only evidence was a promise to lead them to victory and vengeance. The majority, again, of the Pagans, "felt a want" of a religion which provided splendid shows, and often bloody spectacles, and which tolerated and sanctified bacchanalian revels and foul impurities. The Hindus again feel the Avant of a religion which sanctions ferocious cruelties and gross debauchery; and this is the evidence on Avhich they adhere to the worship of their gods. The ]\Iusulmans " feel the want" of a sensual Paradise such as their Prophet promises to those who fight bravely in his cause; and a Musulman rushes vnth. enthusiastic valour on the hostile ranks, declaring that he sees the Houris waving their green handkerchiefs to welcome him to the Mahometan heaven. And, lastly, among those Avho profess some forms of Christianity, there is a large proportion who " feel the want " of an infallible guide on Earth, and of the full assurance conveyed of pardon for sin, by priestly absolution, after due performance of penance; and of repose for their souls by paying for Masses to be said after their death. But a right-minded Christian who receives the Gospel, because he has good grounds for believing it to be TRUE, endeavours, not to seek and embrace, a religion conformable to his character, but, on the con - trary, tomakehis character conformable to Ids reVujion* When however an unexpected attack is made * Postscript to Paley's Evidences, pp. 405-6*. 26 NEGLECTED TRUTHS AND REACTIONS. on our Religion — unexpected, I mean, by the unwise and unthinking, who censure or deride all prepara- tion against attacks — all appeal to rational evidence — they are overwhelmed with dismay, and have nothing but impotent rage and empty declamation, where"with to meet an opponent whom they have themselves contributed to raise up. For Avhen it has been laid down that Miracles are not at all needed for the establishment of the claims of the Gospel, it is very natural to proceed to the denial that any were ever wrought. And accordingly it has been maintained that no Miracle (in the received sense of the word) ever did or can take place ; and that all that have been recorded as such, were mere natural occurrences, — though per- haps rather unusual ones — which enthusiastic cre- dulity magnified into supernatural signs of a direct communication from Heaven. Now does not this theory derive some counte- nance from the language of some of the advocates of real Christianity? Is it not a very prevalent practice to apply the words " miraculous " or "providential" to any unusual and remarkable occurrence, that conduces to some end which is considered desirable and important? as if divine Providence had nothing to do with ordi- nary events. A great advantage is given to anti- Christians by this rash and presumptuous language coming from advocates who professing pre-eminent piety, thus venture to proclaim (virtually) that DANGERS FROM PRESUMPTUOUS LANGUAGE. 27 "thus saith the Lord; when the Lord hath not spoken."* § 8. There is reason to think that the rash language of daring pretension fy^jy^ p^e- used by some religious enthusiasts has sumptuous Language. conduced to foster and spread the rationalistic extravagances which are now causing so much alarm. When jMen speak of being " moved by the Spirit " to say what they do say — which is, in other words, to claim inspiration — when they describe themselves as speaking (as Paul did) " with demonstration of the Spirit and of power " — when they regard every thought or design that is "strongly borne in on their minds," as an "answer to prayer," and an undoubted direction from Heaven — when they speak of following the " in- ward light " they possess as an inlallible divine guide — when they interpret every remarkable oc- currence as a sign from Heaven, and reckon any event that furthers their object, as a manifest divine interposition in their favour — the Rationalist may step forward and say " This is all just what was * A Clergyman having pointed out (in conformity with our Lord's declaration Luke xiii.) that we are not warranted, in the absence of a distinct revelation to that effect, to speak of the late famine as a special judgment from Heaven on the sufferers, and a sign of divine wrath against the nation for extending toleration to Roman Catholics, was, for this, denounced, publicly, in print, by a brother-clergyman, as denying all revelation ! Well may our Religion say, " Save me from my friends, and I fear not my enemies !" — Paley's Evidences. 28 DANGERS PKOM PRESUMPTUOUS LANGUAGE. (lone by the first promulgators of Christianity. Any remarkable event, they called a Miracle; just as you do. Like you, they considered as a divine revelation, or direction from above, any strong con- viction, or strong impulse. Their miracles were only strongly-coloured pictures of such things as are taking place around us. Their inspiration — their guiding inward light — were 6n\y those vivid impressions, and those grand designs, which are common to you with them. Both cases are alike miraculous or non -miraculous; and in both, belief in the miracle is not the cause, but the effect, of the reception of the doctrine."* Thus it is that presumptuous and unwise Christians prepare the way for the inroads of covert infidelity, Avhich, by making every thing miraculous, makes, in fact, nothing miraculous, and virtually destroys the whole character of inspira- * This conjecture, wliich was first thrown out a good while ago, has been since precisely verified in the language of an anti-christian Periodical. But it is not from these alone that we hear such language. The following passage from a Newspaper is likely (whether the report be accurate or not) to have a wide circulation : — " Dr. on ike Irish Revivals. — On Sunday night. Dr. preached to a crowded congregation, and in the course of his sermon he introduced the subject of the revivals in Ireland. He had not, he said, himself personal evidence of this 'awakening,' but he had had communications from clergymen of different persuasions, and from laymen ; and these and his own reflections convinced him that this was indeed the work of the Lord, and that we were really in the midst of the time prophesied by Joel, when ' your sons and 1 DANGERS FROM PRESUMPTUOUS LANGUAGE. 29 tion, by making it universal. A King would be virtually dethroned, if all or most of his subjects i were elevated to regal power. Little damage, comparatively, would be done ^ by the assailants of our Faith, if they were not thus unconsciously aided by its injudicious defenders. There is also encouragement afforded by that incautious lano-uao-e to which I have been alludino^, to a certain modern school who teach a most ' objectionable kind of optimism; namely, that ' success proves, — and indeed constitutes — right ; and that the most cruel oppressor and lawless con- queror is to be regarded as justified and as having | a declaration of Heaven, on his side, if he do but I . j prevail. This is one of the instances of Avhat I j dau<:;htcrs shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and j your young men see visions.' " | Again, the following is an extract from a sermon delivered before j the General Assembly of a Presbyterian Church in 1860 : — " If they \ wanted a proof of the truth of the doctrines and politj' of the Pres- byterian Church, they had it in this Eevival. Upon whom had God showered down His blessings ? Upon the Presbyterian Church. It was her pastures He had watered and made green and flourishing. | Some wished to represent that this llevival was breaking down dis- \ tinctions of creed, inasmuch, they said, as that God was pouring out his Spirit on all Churches alike. Such was wholly incorrect. God had blessed the Presbyterian Church ; thus giving a proof that in ' her Jehovah took delight. The Presbyterian Church did not sub- stitute for the Supremacy of Christ, Succession, and Confirmation, and other forms and rituals of man's inventing, but took his own Holy Word as their standard : and God had given them and the World, in the Revival, a proof of the truth of Presbyterianism," 80 RASH APPEALS TO SCRIPTURE. have already alluded to ; the distortion and exagge- ration of a truth into a falsehood. § 9. Again you will not need to be peals to Scrij}- informed — hardly even to be reminded ture. — ^YiQ damage which has been done to the christian cause by a rash reference to Scrip- ture on matters of Physical Science. The cele- brated decree against Galileo, which aimed at arraying Astronomy against Christianity, probably drove many persons into downright infidelity. It may be said that they ought (as doubtless the more intelligent portion did) to have distrusted their blind guides, and to have considered, that in order to make a right use of any book, we should keep in mind the design of the author; and to have perceived that Scripture was intended to instruct us not in Astronomy but in Religion. But it was not to be expected that the great mass of mankind would perceive these distinctions. And when they were assured by Theologians who professed to have made Religion their study, that every Christian was bound to believe that the Earth is at rest, and that the Sun moves round it, while they were convinced from demonstration that the fact is the reverse, they would be likely to rush to the conclusion that the Bible is a tissue of obsolete fables. Others, again, in later times, without avowedly rejecting Christianity, have denied all claim of Scripture to any special authority, and teach us EASH APPEALS TO SCRIPTURE. 31 that the Bible is to be "read like any other book;" that is, as not containing any record of a divine revelation, but as being — like every other book, — the production of mere unaided Man. In short, we are to begin the study of the Bible, by taking for granted, in the outset, the falsity of its pre- tensions ! Scripture having been applied to for instruction in matters outof'it?, proper jurisdiction, a reaction ensued; its authority within its own rightful province, was set at nought^ and liberty was claimed to reject or accept any portion of it according to our own judgment or inclination. And what has greatly tended to increase this kind of re-action, is, the confused and desultory mode which is but too prevalent, of studying — if that can be called study — the Holy Scriptures : as if the Bible were one book, instead of being, as it is, a collection of many books, written at various times, and with very various objects. And this Sacred Volume is often perused in a mode which would be thought absurd even in the perusal of any one book ; by opening the volume almost at random, and fixing on, and employing without regard to the context, any passage that may chance to meet the eye, if it can be brought to suit some particular purpose. One may even find some persons citing, under the title of " divine commands or prohibi- tions," or "God's Law," such portions of the Mosaic Institutions as may appear to favour some particular object; while at the same time they 32 KASH APPEALS TO SCRIPTURE. make no scruple of setting aside the rest, at their pleasure.* Now this procedure is even more indefensible than the doctrine of those ancient judaizlng Sectaries who held the eternal and universal obli- gation of the whole Levitical Law ; since they were at least consistent. But the result of their error, in the way of a reaction, was that other, of the absolute condem- nation of the whole of the Old Testament, as not proceeding from the Most High. And something very nearly approaching this, has, from a like cause, appeared among ourselves in these days. And the New Testament itself is likely to be also brought into disrepute with the rash and thoughtless, by that confused mode of employing it to which I have just adverted. If any one — to adopt an apt illustration of the late Dr. Arnold — should have received a great number of letters from a justly venerated father, written to him at various periods, from the time when he was a mere child, till after he had reached manhood, and should lay them by very carefully, and whenever he needed counsel, should take up any one of these letters at random, and make that his guide, he would be thought destitute of all rationality. Yet this is analogous to the use — or rather the abuse — which some persons make of the Bible. * See ThougJds on the Sabbath. See also Bishop Coplestou's Remains, p. 39. DARING ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN MYSTERIES. 33 It is not therefore strange that such an error should give rise to, — or at least greatly favour such other errors of an opposite kind as are now exciting so much alarm. § 10. Again, great damage, I am convinced, has been done to the cause Attempts to of truth by the rash speculations and _ teries. attempted explanations of obscure points, which some have indulged in, with more confidence than modest caution. I cannot doubt, that the rejection, by some persons, of doctrines which Scripture (whose authority they acknow- ledge) does seem very plainly to declare, has been greatly encouraged, and, in many instances originally caused, by unwise and presumptuous endeavours to explain what Scripture has left obscure, and to confirm what is there revealed, by reconcilino; it with theories of j\lan's devisinsf. For, when objections which will at least be thought by many to be unanswerable, are brought against any such theory, it is then too late to resort to the plea that divine mysteries are beyond the reach of our understanding, and that we must not venture to try them by the standard of human Reason. Every one who brings forward a theory of his OAvn, does in fact appeal to human Reason, and binds himself to make his explanations intelligible and satisfactory. And if he fails of this, the result will too often be that the doctrine itself which he has been trying to elucidate and support by his C 34 UNWISE DEFENDEES OF RELIGION. explanations, will be supposed by many persons to be dependent on those explanations, and will be rejected along with the untenable theory. Blame- able as those may be who draw such a conclusion, those are not free from blame who lead them to it, and thus place a stumblingblock in the way of a weak brother. rr . § 11. I had not, of course, any Unwise T J Defenders of design to enter on a complete enume- Beligion. ration and discussion of all the causes that have conduced to the prevailing alarm and agitation of the public mind; but I have thought it advisable to notice some of those which may be traced to some imprudences or omissions, or mistakes of those engaged in the defence of our Religion. It might have been, perhaps, to some persons more acceptable, to have dwelt exclusively on the faults of opponents; but it may be more profitable, to look to those on our own side, and wliich it may therefore be, in some degree, in our poAver to remedy, or at least to guard against, so as to prevent adversaries from taking advantage ot them. And I would warn you, in conclusion, not to regard any error (in matters at all connected with Religion) as harmless or as insignificant, merely because it may be so in itself, and in its immediate and direct results. In its indirect and remote effects, it may lead to dangerous consequences, to others, at least, if not to ourselves. A man for UNWISE DEFENDERS OF RELIGION. 35 instance, may be a good Christian who believes that the sun moves round the Earth; but if he beheves and teaches this (which was done by the decree against Galileo) as an essential point of re- ligious doctrine^ his mistake, when it is discovered, may overthrow the faith of weak brethren: the " Wall daubed with untempered Mortar," may bring down in its fall the sound parts of the building. Thus, again, any one who expects the occurrence of certain political events, or a speedy termination of the World,* may be himself a good Christian, even though erroneous in his expectations; and may do no damage to the faith of others, so long as he puts forth his conjectures merely as his own conjectures. But if he insists on others receiving as a vital point of Faith, his interpretations of pro- phecy,— and if he censures all who do not adopt the same opinions, as not " knoiving the Gospel," or as not " taking much interest in Religion" — then, if events turn out ditferently, the mass of mankind, who are incapable of nice discrimination, may have their religious confidence alto^jether shaken: "You have taught us [they may say] that J esus of Naza- reth came from God^ and is to come to judge the quick and the dead; and you have also taught us, as a part of your Religion, that his coming was to * The statutes of Oriel College, which was founded above 500 years ago, open with an announcement of the speedy end of the World : " Appropinquante jam Mundi termino." 36 UNWISE DEFENDERS OF RELIGION. take place some years ago;* now we know from our own experience that you were mistaken in the one point; and therefore we conclude that you are likely to have been mistaken in the other also." Of course, a still greater danger will result from the detection, or even the suspicion, of any- thing that is at all of the character of a pious fraud ; — any wilful suppression of truth, or inculcation of what is not sincerely believed, f Put forth, therefore (I would say), nothing as a point of christian Faith, which you have not good reason to be fully convinced of, not only as true^ but as an essential portion of Q^QdiAy-revealed Truth. Any opinion which you may have formed on other points, you are bound — I do not say, to suppress, but — to put forth merely as an opinion of your own. Do your best, indeed, to detect and refute by fair arguments the errors of opponents of our Religion ; but be still more carefully on the watch * A Preacher, of no small celebrity, fixed the year 1847 as the time of our Lord's second Advent. But this is only one instance out of a multitude. t I have known a person to incur 'severe censure for teaching people that the Bible was not originally written in English, and that the Bible we commonly use is a Translation from the Hebrew and Greek original. This, it was thought, would "unsettle men's minds." I have also known an objection made, on a like ground, to the informing of the people that the divisions into chapters and verses were not made by the Sacred Writers themselves ! UNWISE DEFENDERS OF RELIGION. 37 against the errors of its defenders. And if we thus unite the Wisdom of the Serpent with the harmlessness of the Dove, we may hope that by the wise appointment of divine Providence, the now- existing difficulties and disturbances, may, not only pass away harmless, but may even tend ultimately to the furtherance of the Gospel. THE END. LONDON : SAVILL AND EDWAEDS, PBINTEKS, CHAND03 STKEET, COVENT GAEDEN. ECCLESIASTICAL LEaiSLATION CONSIDERED. A CHARGE, DELIVERED AT THE TRIENNIAL VISITATION OF THE PROVINCES OF DUBLIN AND CASHEL. June, 1862. / By RICHARD WHATELY, D.D. ASCRBISSOP OF DUBLIN. "Qui nova remedia fugit, nova mala operitur." — Baoon. LONDON : PARKER, SON, AND BOURN, WEST STRAND. DUBLIN : HODGES AND SMITH, GRAFTON STREET. 1862. LONDON: SAVILL AND EDWARDS, PBINTEE8, CHANDOS STBEET, OOVENI GARDEN. CONTENTS. PAGE Petitions for Cburch-Govemment 5 Objections to a Church-Government 7 Alterations in Public Opinion 9 Dangers apprehended 11 Safety in due Caution 13 Fears of hurtful Innovation 15 Objections to Convocation 17 Parliamentary Legislation 19 Measures recently proposed 21 Advantages of a Church-Government 23 Lay Co-operation desirable 26 Parochial Visitors 29 Appendix 33 A 2 A CHARGE, , ETC. 1 § 1. OEVERAL years ago, I took ^^^.^.^^^ ^ occasion, more than once, to fo^ Church- call attention to the subject of Church- government, and to point out how essential it is to the well-being of any Society — and not least of a christian Society, — that it should have some — not merely administrative, but legislative — government, fully established and acknowledged. In this view I did not stand alone. I was called on to present to Parliament a petition from the Clergy of the Diocese of Kildare to that effect ; — a petition not drawn up or suggested by me; and a similar one had shortly before been presented by the Bishop of London.* And some years after, I was again employed to present a similar petition from many Clergymen, English, as well as Irish. On this latter occasion, one of the Members of the House complained that the " Irish Church" (as he called it) had not distinctly specified what was * See Appendix A. 6 PETITIONS rOR CHURCH-GOVERNMENT. to be the Constitution of the Government that was desired. He had forgotten, it seems, that no such Body exists as the " Irish Church ;" that, and the English Church, having been, by the Act of Union, consolidated into one. And he hastily took for granted that that Petition came from Ireland^ as if I could not possibly be concerned with anything English: though if he had taken the trouble to look at it, he would have seen that more than half of the Petitioners were English Clergymen. In one of the debates on the subject which took place in the House of Lords, several of the bishops (of whom nearly all were present) expressed their acquiescence in my view of the necessity of having some sort of Legislative Government of the Church, instead of leaving it wholly under the control of a Parliament consisting of persons of various religious denominations. And this no one came forward to controvert. As for the complaint that there was no speci- fication of the details of any proposed Constitution, that is a well-known device often employed to defeat any proposed measure of which the principle can- not be controverted. An opponent will often, in such a case, call on the advocates of the measure to particularize fully all the details; and if they are so unwise as to comply with this requisition, he will find some plausible objection to some of these points of detail, and thus defeat the whole proposal. But if no Government of any kind had ever been OBJECTIONS TO A CHURCH-GOVERNMENT. 7 established in any community till some had been de- vised not only quite perfect in every particular, but also (which is much more) universally admitted to be such, it is evident that all mankind would have been in a state of anarchy down to this day. The ingenuous and wise course is, to consider any proposed plan, first generally, and as a whole ; and then, if it be found worthy of approval, to proceed next to examine and discuss the practical points of detail, one by one. 5 2. Although, however, as I have ^, . . ' ° ' ' . Objections said, I was, on the occasions alluded to, to a CJmrch- very far from standing alone, still there was a considerable majority of well-meaning persons who dreaded to take any step such as was suggested. Some deprecated altogether any such thing as a Government of the Church; and others considered the time then present as unsuitable for entertaining any such proposal. And it is remarkable that among those who were the most strongly opposed to anything of the kind, there were some who were accustomed to find fault with many portions of our Services, and of the regulations of the Church, while, with strange inconsistency, they deprecated the only mode in which it could be expected that those alleged defects could be remedied. Now surely, any evils or inconveniences which you not only think never will be remedied, but for which you resolve that (as far as lies in you) there never sJmU be any remedy, these you ought patiently to 8 OBJECTIONS TO A CHURCH-GOVERNMENT. submit to, as to an unfavourable season, or an in" curable disease. Others, however, there were, as I have said, who were convinced of the desirableness of having a Church-government, but thought that the then prevalence of party contests, and the agitated and excited state of the public mind, made it advisable . to wait till calmer times for any such attempt.* And when any period of comparative tranquillity does occur, we are sure to be met with the ob- jection— probably from the very same persons — that it is best not to disturb that tranquillity : that it is a pity to unsettle men's minds Avhen they are not dissatisfied, — that we should adhere to the maxim of " quieta ne movete," and " let well alone." *' Notnow^^ is the plea, when matters are quiet; and " Not now" when they are unquiet. When the stream is low and fordable, we are told that no bridge is needed; and when the river is swollen, that it is difficult and dangerous to begin building a bridge. Difficulties and dangers we should indeed never seek to keep out of sight, or to extenuate; but the actually-existing difficulties and dangers, and the probability that they would continually increase if no steps were taken to obviate them, many Avere (at the time I have been referring to) accustomed to overlook. And those who are at any time so See Appendix B. ALTERATIONS IN PUBLIC OPINION. 9 far ahead of their age as to foresee many wants and many evils of which most of their contem- poraries have no suspicion, are likely to be derided as fanciful alarmists, or dreaded as dangerous inno- vators. Afterwards perhaps it may happen that some of the sug^oestions which had been at first rejected with censure or scorn, will come to obtain very general approbation.* $ 3. And somethin(? of this kind *' _ ° _ Alterations has taken place in the present instance, in public opi- The views which we first set forth above a quarter of a century ago, have lately received a favourable attention in England as well as in Ireland, and are likely to be in some degree brought into practice. And this is my reason for having now recalled your attention to the trans- actions I have just now alluded to. This is the more needful, because a report has been industri- ously circulated that the Irish portion of the Church has been acting an obstructive part, and that we have been throwing obstacles in the way of any Church-government. This statement is (as you must be well aware) not only untrue, but the very opposite of the truth. We are bound in charity to believe that it is the result of ignorance, and not of wilful and deliberate falsehood; but the ignorance which in this instance has given rise to an "idle word" injurious to us, cannot but be * See Appendix C. 10 ALTERATIONS IN PUBLIC OPINION. accounted a most culpable ignorance, considering how easily correct knowledge could have been obtained. About the middle of last year a Memorial was presented to the Crown from the Irish Bishops, praying for the royal sanction to some kind of col- lective Synod representing the whole of the United Church. What other steps were we legally com- petent to take? It should be remembered that even for the summoning of a Convocation, of either, or of both, of the Irish Provinces, a royal authority would have been necessary : but if each of the four Provinces of the Church should have a sepa- rate Convocation sitting, and each acting indepen- dently, and framing regulations for itself, without any provision made for co-operation, and for a com- bined action of the whole Church, this Avould amount to a splitting up of the Body into four Churches as distinct from each other as the American is from ours.* If any one should think this desirable, he ought at least to call such separation by its right name ; since a division introduced into a Church still de- * Since I delivered this Charge we have been given to under- stand that there is no immediate prospect of the prayer of our i Memorial being complied with. Tiie course of events may perhaps j lead to a more favourable consideration of our case. But in the j mean time, I cannot doubt that as the law now stands, a mode may ! be found, less convenient, indeed, but not less effectual than tlie one proposed, for securing a harmonious co-operation between the i several branches of our Church, and avoiding the risk of disruption. 1 I DANGERS APPREHENDED. 11 signaled as one^ would be clearly of the character of a Schism. I am happy to find however that the English Bishops appear now to understand fully our real situation, and are disposed cordially to co- operate with us as fellow-members of one United Church. Whatever may be the course of procedure which it may be ultimately found practicable and advisable to adopt, some arrangement must be made for avoiding a disruption so much to be deprecated, by effecting some sort of concert and combined action of the several portions of our Church. § 4. As for the kind of procedure that may be expected in any Church ^^^^£^1 Assembly, there is no reason whatever to anticipate any that would be subversive of the principles of our Church. Too true indeed it is, that there are to be found professed Members, and even Ministers of the Church, whose views tend towards such subversion. But these are, I trust, but a very small minority. And moreover, even were they twice as numerous as there is any reason to believe, they are utterly opposed to each other, and could not effect anything without such a com- bination as is, by the nature of the case, clearly impossible. In Mechanics, we all know that a body acted on by two equal forces, in opposite directions, remains motionless. And even so, those who would seek to mislead us in contrary ways, will counteract and neutralize each other's efforts. 12 DANGERS APPREHENDED. Suppose, for instance, there was a consider- able number of persons seeking to deprave our Prayer-Book, one party seeking to fashion it some- what on the Model of the Presbyterian Directory put forth in the days of the Civil War, and another party seeking to make it more like the Romish Missal, it is evident that these two could never co-operate with each other, nor, consequently, produce any effect, except to defeat each other's objects. Some few persons, again, may be seeking to narrow the basis of our Church, by excluding from it every one Avho does not adopt the views of their OAvn particular party ; and others endeavouring to extend its basis, by admitting to its ministry persons who (according to the received use of language) would hardly be reckoned as believers in Christianity. These two parties also, so far from acting together, would evidently only neutralize each other's efforts. It would be a mistake (we should remember) to conclude that every wise and mode- rate decision that any assembly has ever arrived at, is necessarily due to an absolute preponderance of wise and moderate counsellors. It may often have happened that the views of these last may have been unconsciously aided by persons of less sound judgment, but who were leaning towards errors on opposite sides. Any intelligent observer of human affairs must have known many instances SAFETY IN DUE CAUTION. 13 where the result of such opposition has been some kind of compromise that was at least preferable to either of the extremes which had been originally aimed at. § 5. There is no doubt, however, that apprehensions do exist in many , ^'^P^y J^-T J due caution. minds, of the introduction of ill advised and dangerous innovations. But as I observed, in a Charge, a good many years back, we may derive a consolatory hope of safety from the very existence of those apprehensions. I said that " at the first glance indeed it may be deemed paradoxical to infer from the very existence of such apprehensions, that there is no ground for alarm;" — to argue that we have the less to fear because much fear is felt by a great number, and by those whose opinions deservedly carry most weight; and that the greater in their estimation the danger is, the less it is in reality. But on a moment's reflection any one will perceive that in the present case such an inference is perfectly just. In the case indeed of any kind of evil which no human efforts can avert — such as an unfavourable season, an earthquake, or an inundation — the antici- pations of such a calamity, by persons who are competent judges, afford just ground of alarm: and the greater the number of these persons, and the stronger their apprehensions, the greater we should conclude the danger to be. But it is 14 SAFETY IN DUE CAUTION. quite the reverse in a case where the very persons who apprehend the danger are those with whom it rests to avert it, by the vigilance and exertion which are called forth by those very apprehensions. There is indeed hardly any christian teacher who is not in the habit of earnestly pressing this very topic on the congregation committed to his charge, in respect of their christian conduct as individuals. He tells them that the greatest spiritual danger is in careless and confident se- curity;— that an habitual dread of sin is a neces- sary safeguard of christian virtue ; — that he " who thinketh he standeth, should take heed lest he fall," and should " work out his salvation with fear and trembling;" making his vigilant self-distrust the basis, not of desponding anticipations, but of joyful confidence. He teaches them, in short, that the more awake men are to the dangers which beset their christian course, the better is their prospect of escaping those dangers, and of steadily pursuing that course. And the same reasoning will apply in the present case. For, all the evils that are appre- hended must arise, if at all, through the faults and follies of the Church's own members; — through the intemperance or indiscretion of those who, by their numbers or their character, have a predomi- nating influence in that Church. If therefore a great majority, — including a majority of those who FEARS OF HURTFUL INNOVATION. 15 are most influential, — are fully aware of the evils attendant on any rash steps, we have, in their apprehensions, the surest safeguard against such steps. The danger is the less, from their strong sense of the danger ; because it will rest with them to guard against it. The evils apprehended being such as cannot arise but through their negligence, the more keenly alive they are to those evils, the less reason there is to anticipate them. § 6. We have no grounds then, I ^^^^^ am convinced, for expecting that any hurtful inno- -I . 1 1 1 vation. ill-advised and dangerous measures will be adopted by any kind of Church Assembly that may be convened. On the contrary, it is more likely that the dread of innovation may be carried to an excess ; and that some harmless and beneficial changes in points of detail may fail of being adopted through an over-dread of their lead- ing to some that would be pernicious. Some desirable alterations in such points I noticed in some late Charges; expressing at the same time my belief that the most effectual obstacle to their adoption was raised up by those persons who, under the specious name of a " Revision of the Liturgy," seek to introduce surreptitiously fundamental changes in the doctrines of the Church. And I pointed out that any one who considers these doctrines as erroneous, though he has a per- fect right to hold and to proclaim his own convic- tion, is utterly unjustifiable in continuing to hold I 16 FEARS OF HURTFUL INNOVATION. office in a Church whose principles he is seeking to subvert. It is not, however (we should remember), the necessary or proper business of a Legislative as- sembly to change existing institutions, or to frame new regulations; but rather, to consider and deter- mine in each case whether any such step is, or is not, needed; and to act accordingl}^ No one would say that it is the business of Parliament to alter the British Constitution, but in each case either to maintain the Law as it stands or to change it, as may seem most expedient. And if in any case some measure is proposed which after careful deliberation is rejected, it would be a mis- take to infer that there has been a mere waste of time and labour. For even those who do not approve of some decision that has been made will be the better satisfied to acquiesce in it when they know that a deliberate decision has been regularly made, and that they have been allowed a fair hear- ing. It makes a great difference whether anything remains unaltered merely because there is no authority competent to make any alteration, or because it has been deliberately decided that a change would be inexpedient. The advantage therefore of a regularly-established Church-govern- ment is not to be measured by the changes it may actually effect, but by the knowledge that a power does exist of effecting whatever may be thought requisite. i OBJECTIONS TO CONVOCATION. 17 § 7. As for the particulars of the objections Constitution of such a Church-govern- to Convoca- ment as it may be desirable and prac- ticable to establish, these it would be premature fully to discuss ; but it is worth while to notice one misapprehension which some time ago was very prevalent, and which has not entirely disappeared even now. Some persons take for granted, when any mention is made of a Church-government, that the active operation of Convocations as now by Law established, is what is meant, and that the alternative is between that and no Government at all. And then they point out (what is very true) that to this there are strong objections; — Convoca- tion not being so constituted as to give an ade- quate representation of even the Clergy alone, and giving no representation at all of the Laity. But there seems no reason why it should be thought impracticable or unadvisable to introduce modifications into a Constitution established by our ancestors some centuries ago, and which, even if framed with consummate wisdom at that time, miffht need changes to meet the altered circum- stances of the present day. They themselves were very far from designing that their Institutions and regulations should be, like the Laws of the Medcs and Persians, unalter- able : and the framcrs of the Preface to our Praj'er- Book, drawn up at the time of the establishment of our Church, sets forth that "it hath ever been B 18 OBJECTIONS TO CONVOCATION. the wisdom of the Church of England, to keep the mean between the two extremes of too much stiff- ness in refusing, and too much easiness in admit- ting any variation." And it can hardly be doubted that the Rule thus laid down in relation to the Church-services, they would have judged equally applicable to Ecclesiastical Institutions. Some modification, then, of the existing consti- tution of Convocation would be nothing anomalous, and does seem to be highly desirable. This is what has taken place in a sister Church, a very impor- tant one, and the more interesting to us as being an offshoot from our own, the Episcopalian Church of the United States of America. They have ad- mitted,— and I cannot but think, wisely, — a repre- sentation of the Laity into their Ecclesiastical Conventions. This does not at all imply any con- founding together of the Clergy and Laity. They do not permit the Laity to administer the Sacra- ments, or to conduct public worship; but they admit them to a share of what may be called eccle- siastical, as distinguished from spiritual concerns; and as far as I can learn, no ill consequences have resulted from this arrangement. On the contrary, an increased interest in the welfare of the Church, and increased attention to the great objects for which a Church is formed, seem to be produced by thus calling in the Laity to hold office in the Society. And if A similar arrangement were introduced PARLIAMENTARY LEGISLATION. 19 in our Church, it would not be fairly called an Anomaly; considering, that in the existing state of things, the Supreme Government of our Church is almost wholly in the hands of the Laity — namely, of the Sovereign, in conjunction with the two Houses of Parliament — of which the one contains a small number of Clerical Members, and the other, none at all. § 8. Parliament, however, thou";h ^ ,. ' ' o Parliamen- it may have been thought an assembly tary legida- ill-calculated for the office of Ecclesi- astical legislation, did, at least, till of late years, consist exclusively of professed members of the Establishment; whereas, noAV, it admits an inde- finite number of persons of different, and even hostile communions. This surely is an anomaly, and no unimportant one. The change, whether for the better or for the worse, does at least place the Cimrch in a far different position from that which it formerly occupied. Yet this is entirely overlooked by some, who are accustomed to urge that matters have gone on very well for a long time as they now are^ and that therefore there is no need of any alteration. It is strange, but true, that some .of those who are the most carefully anxious to oppose and to deprecate every kind of change, are often found entirely failing to perceive important changes when they actually do occur. To say that in any matter in which human agency is concerned, no changes shall take place, is B 2 20 PARLIAMENTARY LEGISLATION. to talk idly. We might as well pretend to controul the course of the seasons. And to determine that no changes shall take place except such as are un- designed and unforeseen, is to encounter far greater risks than those we seek to avoid. For " He who shuns new remedies," says Bacon, " must expect new evils." Still, the National Legislature must be allowed to retain a paramount controul, in all things what- soever; and any Church-government of whatever kind, that may be established, must remain sub- ordinate to that. Nothing must be thought of that can have even the appearance of an " imperium in imperio." This is a necessary consequence of ours being an Established Church. And herein lies one great difference between our case and that of the American Episcopalians, There being, in the United States, no established Church at all, the decisions of any Church Convention are, there, _yina/, as regards the Members of that Church. But ours being a Community established by the LaAvs of the State, must of course be subject to the controul of the supreme power of the State. It does not, how- ever, follow that we znay not have, in due subordi- nation to the Supreme Legislature, a Government expressly constituted for Ecclesiastical concerns, consisting, of course, exclusively of Members of the Church ; and which would be somewhat analogous to our several Colonial Legislatures; which are allowed to act for themselves, though still subject MEASURES RECENTLY PROPOSED. 21 to the controul of the supreme central Legislature. And considering that whatever powers may be vested in any such Synod or Convention as I have been speaking of, must be powers expressly con- ferred upon it by an Act of the Civil Legislature itself, there can be no reason for any apprehen- sion of encroachments by the Church upon the State. 6 9. The need of some legislative ° Measures intervention in the concerns of the recently pro- Church — a need which has long ex- "P"^^^' isted — has of late been strongly impressed on men's minds by some recent occurrences which cannot but be known to you : I allude to what took place a short time since, in reference to the proposals made, of altering one of the Canons, and of adopting a Form of Prayer and Thanksgiving for Harvest. It is manifestly most desirable that there should exist somewhere a competent Authority, legally constituted and fully recognized, for intro- ducing such Forms of Prayer as may be judged advisable, either for occasional or for ordinary use. But the Forms which have been from time to time put forth on the authority of Orders in Council, give rise, as is well known, to much doubt and perplexity. The use of these Forms does appear, at the first glance, altogether at variance with the " Act of Uniformity," of which our Avhole Prayer- Book is a part. Some persons, however, maintain, with ingenious arguments, somewhat too subtle for 22 MEASURES RECENTLY PROPOSED. ordinary minds, that this procedure is not contrary to that Act.* Others, and I believe a much greater numbei', admit that the use of these Forms is not strictly legal, but consider that a long-continued tacit acquiescence in a departure from the law, affords a sufficient sanction for such departure. But others again there are who feel scruples in this matter, and are at a loss how to reconcile the procedure with the solemn promise they have made, to "conform to the Liturgy as it is now by Law established." If once we sanction the practice, even in small matters, of interpreting plain language in a non- natural sense, and wresting words into a meaning quite different from the obvious one, we may expect (as is proved by the experience of some years past) that the precedent will be made use of by others, * A good many years ago, I consulted, as to this point, the then Archbishop of Canterbury ; who, in reply, sent me the opinion of a distinguished lawyer, based on reasons which seem to me utterly unsound. The argument was, that the royal prerogative extends to a complete controul over the whole of the Church Service. But this is contradicted by the very words of the Act, which contains a distinct proviso authorizing the change from time to time, under an. Act of Council, of tlie names of the members of the Eoyal Family that are to be prayed for. This plainly implies (according to the maxim that " an exception proves a kule") that the supposed prerogative either never existed, or else was abandoned. No one who claimed a general right of way along a certain road, would insert in a furmal deed of agreement an express clause per- mitting his use of that road on such and such a particular occasion, and for this or that particular purpose. ADVANTAGES OF A CHURCH-GOVERNMENT. 23 who will plead our example to justify their ex- plaining away important declarations of our Church, and of Holy Scripture. Surely all uncertainty as to any law, — all con- nivance at a departure from law, — and everything that tends to raise scruples, and is likely to lay a snare for conscience, — are evils which should if possible be avoided. And this might be done at once, and very easily, as far as regards the point now immediately before us, by simply passing what is called a " declaratory Act," setting forth what is the interpretation which the Legislature wills the Act of Uniformity to bear. § 10. A much more extensive ' ^ _ Advantages measure, however, than this, is, as I of a Church- have already said, what I cannot but ^'^^^>'""^^"*- consider as very highly desirable. And if there were a strong conviction of the need of a completely organized Church Government, in the mind of a large proportion both of the Clergy and of the Laity, and if this were earnestly, though calmly and modestly, pressed on the attention of the Legis- lature, I cannot think that the object would fail of being accomplished. It is not, however, by any slight and languid, or by any transient and brief action, that such an effect can be produced. It has seldom, if ever, happened that any important change — however manifestly beneficial — has been brought about with- 24 ADVANTAGES OF A CHURCH-GOVERNMENT. out very strenuous, and also very persevering, ex- ertions.* If those who are naturally supposed to liave the most knowledge and also the most zeal, in all that concerns the Church's welfare, shall appear to be, in this matter, nearly indifferent, it is not to be expected that any steps will be taken by others. But earnest and persevering efforts will be likely, sooner or later, to be crowned with success. The establishment, then, of a regular Church- government consisting exclusively of members of the Church, but comprising an admixture of Lay Members, is an event not beyond the bounds of probability, and for which we should seek to make some preparation. Such a measure would have the advantage, among others, of tending to guard against all jealousies and suspicions, whether well or ill-founded, of encroachments by either class u])on the other; — suspicions of the Clergy, which might arise if they were the sole Ecclesiastical Governors, of seeking unduly to domineer over the Laity, and exalting themselves into " Lords over God's heritage," — or suspicions of the Laity, of intruding themselves into what are properly clerical fiinctions. The properly-regulated action of each class would be duly marked out. There are two opposite extremes against which * The abolition of slavery, for instance, cost half a century of untiring efforts. And long after the mischievous absurdity of the Usury Laws had been fully proved, the question was brought before Parliament for about thirty Sessions before the repeal was obtained. ADVANTAGES OF A CHURCH-GOVERNMENT. 25 it behoves us to be on our guard, — that of making too much, and that of making too little, of the distinction between the Clergy and the Laity. On the one hand, there are some who set up a kind of false analogy between the Clerical and other pro- fessions. As we do not, when consulting a Phy- sician or a Lawyer, seek to learn Medicine or Law ourselves, but deem it sufficient to follow the di- rections given, without inquiring into the reasons of them ; so there are some who seem to regard everything that relates to Religion as the proper concern of the Clergy exclusively. Missionary enterprise, — church building, — schools for edu- cating the masses of the people, — associations for distributing Bibles, Prayer-Books, and religious Tracts, — all these they regard as objects to which the Clergy are bound to devote their time and labour, and, I may add, their pecuniary resources, but about which Laymen need not much trouble themselves. Nay, there are some who seem to think that a knowledge of their Religion, and even christian holiness of life, are things which may be nearly dispensed with, except for the Clergy. And some of these are very strict in their requisitions from the Clergy, of what they (improperly) call an exemplary life, though the example is one which they do not feel bound themselves to follow. But if they thus seek to serve and obey God, as it were, by proxy, making the Clergyman's christian practice a substitute for their own, they ought to 26 LAY CO-OPERATION DESIRABLE. call his practice, not exemplary virtue, but vicarious virtue. On the other hand, some who have strong per- sonal religious feelings, but not under the guidance of sound discretion, are apt to fall into irregular and disorderly practices, such as often tend to " gender strifes ;" to refuse all subordination to the Clergy, and all co-operation with them, and to cast off all loyal allegiance to the Church of which they are professed members, disregarding all con- formity with its regulations, and often in the end falling into fanatical extravagances. Each of these extremes would be, I conceive, in some degree checked, by regularly assigning a definite part to each class. A suitable channel being made for the stream, in which it can flow steadily and usefully, it may thus be prevented from breaking forth into a destructive torrent, or spreading out into an unwholesome marsh, r § 11. It is then, in various ways,, J^ay co-ope- J ' ration desir- highly beneficial that the Laity should ^ ' be called in to our aid, in all matters connected with religion, wherein, conformably to the now-existing laws, and to the Constitution of our Church, they can be employed. It is a good t'liiig that the People of any Parish should be embued with such a spirit of sober and well-regu- lated emulation as would make them unwilling to let their parish fall short of others, in the good management of its schools for the poor, — in Church- LAY CO-OPERATION DESIRABLE. 27 psalmody — in the good state of repair of their Place of Worship, and its commodious and decorous, though not extravagant and ostentatious fitting up, and the decent condition of its Burial-ground. And the Laity should be encouraged to bestow a portion, not only of their money, but also of their time and attention, on religious Associations con- nected with the Church; such as our Missionary Societies, the English Christian Knowledge Society, and our Irish Association which has like objects. A connexion with Associations of this character, having a definite and clearly-understood object, has no tendency to foster, but rather to repress the Spirit of Party ; that great bane of pure religion and sound morality. And to be actively employed in such modes as I have been alluding to, tends (as I observed just now) to increase men's interest in the great objects for which Churches exist. Exertions in any cause, and even sacrifices made for it, tend to endear to any one the cause itself. Actively befriending another heightens the feeling of attachment to him : services rendered to one's country heightens the spirit of patriotism: exer- tions in the cause of a Party aggravate party- spirit. And thus it is in all cases. Men always prize the more any objects towards which they have themselves done somethinsr. Accordingly when, on first joining our Irish Association just now mentioned, I found that the Lay-members of it (who were not very numerous) 28 LAY CO-OPERATION DESIRABLE. seldom if ever attended the Board-meetings, sup- posing, I believe, that this would have been reck- oned an unbecoming intrusion, I used endeavours, — and those endeavours have been blessed with no inconsiderable degree of success, — not only to in- crease the numbers both of the Clerical and of the Lay-members of the Society, but also to induce those of both Classes to take a part in its business. I pursued a similar course in reference to the venerable and most useful " Society for the Propa- gation of the Gospel." It was formerly so little known in Ireland, that on my first proposing to establish an auxiliary Branch, there was actually an objection raised against it as a new Society, though it was then far advanced in the second century of its existence. Since, however, it has been better known, and better supported. And I hope that the special effort which is now being made in its behalf will meet with such success as its merits claim, and its pressing need calls for. We must not however omit to warn men that all such things as those I have been speaking of are not Religion^ but only the cultivation of Religion ; not the end but the means. And the same may be said even of attendance on divine Worship, and the study of Holy Scripture. There is a danger — • and no part of the christian course is exempt from dangers — of mistaking the means of grace for the Fruits of the Spirit. And against this and all PAROCHIAL VISITORS. 29 other dangers, it is our part to put our People on their guard. But after all, it is quite necessary that there should be a cultivation of Religion, and that the means of grace should be employed. And it is for us to teach men to use what is good, with- out abusing it. § 12. As I have been speaking of the advantage of employing Lay- yi.^tors!^'''^ agencies, I cannot but advert, in con- clusion, to an Institution subsisting in my own Dioceses, — that of the Parochial Visitors^ — to whose great utility I can bear testimony, from the experience of a good many years. I have men- tioned it under the head of Lay-agency, because although the majority of the persons employed are students for the Ministry, this is not the case with all, nor is there any rule confining it to those. Such of the Visitors, however, as do ultimately take Holy Orders, have almost always borne testi- mony to the very great benefit they have derived, in reference to their professional course, from the training they have thus received. In many country-parishes much valuable aid may be afibrded to the parish Pastor by such assistants. But in large cities there are many parishes, in which it is quite impossible for the Clergy to do all that is desirable, without the aid of these Visitors. Their business is not to supersede the labours of the Parish Clergyman but to render them more efi'ectual, by ascertaining^ through the means 30 PAROCHIAL VISITORS. of visits, the condition of each family, in respect of their attendance or neglect of public Avorship, and the Holy Communion, — the state of religious Edu- cation of themselves and of their children, — and other such particulars, beyond Avhat would be likely otherwise to come to the knowledge of the Kector. And they bring before him the doubts, difficulties, and scruples, which they will often find existing in the minds of those they visit. And although they are not expressly engaged for the purpose of religious controversy, they are some- times the more likely, even from that very circum- stance, to find opportunities of offering a word in season to those of other religious communions. Moreover, when we are seen manifesting a sedulous and watchful care for the improvement of our own People, this furnishes an indication that we are not seeking to make men professing converts for political or party purposes, but are aiming to promote among all men the knowledge and the practice of what Ave believe to be true Religion. And it may be added that every family of really pious members of our Church, well acquainted with its doctrines, observers of its ordinances, and con- sistent in life, must be, by their example, perform- ing the part of unobtrusive, but not inefficient Missionaries of that Church, among their neigh- bours of other communions. The Institution I have been speaking of bears a modest and perhaps not very attractive title, and PAROCHIAL VISITORS. 31 is not of so showy and striking a character, as some others to Avhich it is not at all inferior in point of practical utility. And I cannot but think that if it were better known, and if more attention were bestowed on the beneficial character of its opera- tions, we should no longer have to lament the inadequate support it has hitherto received from the Lay-members of our Establishment. APPENDIX. A. rX^HE following is a copy of the Petition, as presented in each House of Parliament in 1843. It does not differ materially from that of the Clergy of the Diocese of Kil- dare — I know not by whom suggested, or by whom drawn up — which was entrusted to me for presentation ten years before : — "To the Lords Spiritiud and Temporal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parlia- meiit assembled. " The humble Petition of the Members of the United Church of England and Ireland, whose names and addresses are hereunto subscribed, " Sheweth : " That your Petitioners — aware that all human arrange- ments, however originally excellent, are liable to be affected by change of circumstances, so as to require measures to be adopted for their adjustment — feel deeply that the United Church of England and Ireland has suffered dis- advantage from a similar cause, operating upon her posi- tion as connected with the Civil Legislature of their country. " That the Church of England and Ireland, viewed as 34 APPENDIX. an important part of the Church of Christ, ought, as such, to enjoy the privilege permitted to other Churches and rehgious Bodies, of possessing ivitldn herself, such a power of regulation in her distinctly spiritual affairs, as may best promote the due discharge of the sacred duties required of her Ministers, and provide for the religious discipline of her own members. " That, for the attainment of this, there is re- quired the establishment of some deliberative Ecclesi- astical Body, having authority to frame regulations, and to decide in questions of doubt and difficulty, respecting all such matters. " That ' The Convocation,' supposing it adapted, not only to former times, but to all times, is fallen into desuetude ; and that neither to revive that, nor to make any provision for supplying its place, is clearly at variance with the design of our Reformers. " That the two Houses of Parliament were not originally designed, and were never considered as adapted to be the sole legislative authority for the Church, in spiritual matters; and that if they ever had been so adapted, the recent changes in the constitution of those Houses — ad- mitting, without distinction, to seats in the Legislature, those who may, or may not, be members of this Church — have given rise to a peculiar unfitness, and indeed unwil- lingness on their part, to be called on to exercise this authority in behalf of this Church. " That your Petitioners consider it highly important to the safety and prosperity of her Majesty's dominions, that this Church should not continue unprovided with a go- vernment, inasmuch as the doctrines and precepts which she maintains, must, when duly inculcated, always exercise the most important influence over a large proportion of APPENDIX. 35 her Majesty's subjects, teaching them on the highest grounds to discharge their social duties witli diligence and fidelity. " Your Petitioners are sincerely attached to the existing Constitution of the Church of which they are members, and are not making application for any specific changes, but for the establishment of an Ecclesiastical Government, which shall have authority to determine what is, and what is not, binding on the members of this Church, and to pronounce respecting any changes which individuals may have introduced, or may propose to have introduced. " And your Petitioners have been the more encouraged to make this application to your Lordships, from the dis- tinguished notice which petitions on the subject of it have obtained in your Lordships' House, in recent Sessions of Parliament. "Your Petitioners, therefore, humbly pray that your Lordships will be pleased to consider what measures should be adopted for securing the eflSciency of this Church, so as the better to enable her, in the existing circumstances of the country, to carry forward the great objects of her original institution. " And your Petitioners will ever pray for the welfare and prosperity of your Lordships." B. A good many years ago, in the reign of his late Majesty, it was understood that a design was entertained by some members of our Church, of seeking to have in- troduced some alterations (I know not what) in our Formu- laries. Thereupon a Memorial to the King, deprecating c 2 36 APPENDIX. everything of the kind, was drawn up and was signed by several of the Bishops and Clergy. Though I liad nothing to do with the former movement, and had no reason to believe that the contemplated alterations would prove to be such as I could recommend, when the Memorial was put before me for signature I declined, on the ground that it was likely to be understood as maintaining principles which appeared to me objectionable. I was desired to draw up a statement of my reasons, which I accordingly did. The Memorial was eventually presented to the King ; but some of those who had signed it, frankly acknowledged (as I was informed), after seeing my objections as stated, that they had signed with inconsiderate haste, and that they regretted having done so. I have judged it advisable to reprint these documents, that the reader may be the better enabled to judge for himself of the changes, whether for the better or for the worse, which public opinion has undergone during the years that have since elapsed. My own opinions on these points, I trust I slioidd have been found ready to retract if any good reason for it had been shown ; but, as it is, they remain unaltered. The following is the Address referred to : — " To the King's Most Excellent Majesty. "We the undersigned. Archbishops, Bishops, and Clergy, of the Irish Branch of the United Church of England and Ireland, dutifully crave permission to approach your Ma- jesty with a Declaration of our deliberate, unshaken, and cordial attachment to the Polity, the Doctrine, and the Worship of the Church, as by law established. " Admitted, as we have been, to the Ministry of that Church, on the faith of our avowed adherence to its prin- APPENDIX. 37 ciples and institutions, such a declaration on our part might be deemed superfluous in ordinary seasons. " But the times in which our lot is cast are not of an ordinary character. We trust, therefore, that it will not be deemed unbecoming in us, if, actuated solely by a sense of duty, we openly make profession of our sentiments, hoping that we may thereby contribute, under the divine blessing, to check the prevailing fondness for innovation, to give mutual encouragement and support to each other, and to remove that disquietude and distrust, which have been produced by the apprehension of ill-advised changes, in the minds of those who ate committed to our spiritual care. " We conscientiously believe that the polity of our Church is modelled, as closely as diversity of circumstances will permit, on the Ecclesiastical institutions founded by our Lord's Apostles, and tran.smitted to us by their successors; that the system of our doctrine embodies * the faith once delivered to the Saints;' and that our Liturgy is framed after the pattern of the best remains of primitive Chris- tianity, conveying at all times the fundamental truths of Holy Scripture, and not seldom, in its e.Kpre.ss words. " In a Church thus pure in doctrine, and Apostolical in formation, whose religious services are endeared by long usage to the devotional feelings of its members, and whose polity harmonizes with institutions of the State, to which it has ever proved itself a faithfid and judicious ally, we deprecate the introduction of undefined changes and ex- periments ; and we humbly trust that no alteration will be made in the discipline and services of our Church but by the sanction and recommendation of its Spiritual Guardians. " Should, however, abuses be found to exist in our Ecclesiastical Establishment, we profess our readiness to co-operate for their removal. 38 APPENDIX. " But we humbly submit to your Majesty, in the lan- guage of the Preface to our Book of Common Prayer, that Experience -showeth, that where a change hath been made of things advisedly established, no evident necessity so requiring, sundry inconveniences have thereupon ensued, and those more and greater, than the evils that were in- tended to be remedied by such change.' " That, accordingly, it is wiser to submit to small and questionable inconvenience, than, by impatiently attempt- ing its removal, to expose ourselves to the risk of great and undoubted evil. " That if it be ' reasonable,' as in the language of the same Preface we admit it to be, ' that upon weighty and important considerations, according to the various exigency of times and occasions, such changes and alterations should be made in our forms of divine Worship, and the rites and ceremonies appointed to be used therein, as to those that are in place of authority should from time to time seem either necessary or expedient;' it is no less reasonable, that such alterations as are at any time made, should be shown to be either 'necessary or expedient;' and that we do not apprehend this to have been done in respect of the changes which various persons, widely differing among themselves, are understood to have in contemplation. " That a general agreement as to the things requiring correction, the nature and extent of such correction, and the mode of applying it, may be reasonably demanded from the persons desirous of cliange, as an indispensable preliminary to the concurrence of others with their views. "That an opening once made for innovation gives occa- sion to alterations, not limited to the particulars which were supposed to stand in need of redress, but indefinitely ex- tended to others, which were previously esteemed to be free from all objection. APPENDIX. 39 " And that thus Incalculable clanger, arising from small beginnings, may accrue to our Apostolical form of polity, and to the purity of the Christian doctrine incorporated in our Public Services. "All which is dutifully submitted, &c." Remarks on the foregoing Address. It should be premised, that in speaking of the notions likely to be conveyed by the proposed Address, it is not meant at once to assume, that such notions are necessarily those of the framers of it, and are what they designed to convey. On the contrary, one of the dangers to be specially guarded against is, that of being understood to mean some- thing different from what the signei's of the Address do mean. General experience is sufficient to teach, that no form of expression can be secure from cavil and misrepresentation. But care should be taken, at least, to guard against such objections as may appear reasonable, and against being mis- understood by those who have no ill design. (1.) The expression of " attachment to the polity of the Church as by law established," may excite alarm in some, and afford a handle to others, as appearing to have a re- ference to the restoration of Convocation (undeniably a portion of the legally established polity of the Church), to the active exercise of its rights and functions ; of Convo- cation, too, it should be remembered, not modified in its constitution to suit the circumstances of the times, by any new enactments (for tkat would not be the polity now by law established), but precisely as it was originally consti- tuted, and as, in theory, it still exists, under laws which were never repealed. Now, this is a measure which many, perhaps most of the framers of the Address, are not pre- 40 APPENDIX. pared to recommend, but which has been by some per- sons strongly and publicly urged. The above interpretation might be strengthened by the allusion afterwards made to " the sanction and approbation of the spiritual guardians of the Church they having no power, except as assembled in Convocation, to sanction any such measures as are there alluded to. (It is by no means implied in this observation, that any step should be taken in ecclesiastical matters, indepen- dently of the recommendation of the spiritual guardians of the Church ; it is only meant to point out the reference which, in the document as it stands, that phrase would be supposed to have to Convocation.) (2.) If again any should understand by " the polity of the Church as by law established," not the original, and still legally existing institution (such as is referred to in the Preface to the Book of Common Prayer), but tJiat at present sanctioned hy actual usage; this, evidently, leaves the Church under tiie legislative control, entirely, of the two Houses of Parliament, in conjunction with the King. Now, an expression of approbation of this com- paratively recent state of things, may be deemed incon- sistent with the allusions made to, and the credit claimed for, the antiquity of our institutions. It is not much above a century since the ecclesiastical powers of Convocation have been wholly transferred to Parliament ; but still those powers continued, till a very few years ago, to be vested in persons professing themselves Members of the Church. The admissibility of Dissenters of all classes into Parlia- ment, and perhaps still more, their eligibility as advisers of the Crown, is in fact a complete and very recent remodel- ling, in a most fundamental point, of the whole Church polity. APPENDIX. 41 (3.) It is apprehended that many persons sincerely con- vinced of the excellence of the fundamental principles, and the doctrines, ordinances, &c. of the Established Church, may, even from that very conviction, object to its being defended on grounds which would serve equally vjell for the defence of the most enormous corruptions. It is well known, for instance, that the " disagreements among Pro- testants" were urged from the first, and still are urged, as the favourite defence of the Romish Church. The Reformers, the " persons desirous of change," were called upon, as the " indispensable preliminary," to come to " a general agreement as to the things requiring correction, the nature and extent of such correction, and the mode of applying it."* The adoption, therefore, of a similar line of defence, would be likely, on the one hand, to afford a triumph to Roman Catholics; and, on the other hand, might be construed by some into an admission that it is not felt safe to place the defence of the doctrines and institutions of the Church on their own intrinsic merits, without having recourse to the discrepancies among those who profess themselves Reformers ; — discrepancies which it is well known always have existed, and always will, among the objectors to real, no less than to imaginary abuses. (4.) And this is so notoriously the case, that it may also perhaps be thought there is something disingenuous in the profession of readiness to introduce alterations, when all who propose any shall have come to an agreement. This, it will be said, is only a circuitous mode of saying, ad Grweas Kalciidas, or never. " There is no reason," it may * Thus a Jew, n hen invited to listen to christian arguments, will usually require "as a preliminary" a complete agreement of all Christians as to all points. 42 APPENDIX. be urged, why the opinion may not be entertained and frankly avowed, not only that no alterations are in them- selves necessary, but that none can even safely be admitted ; and beyond this, that it is not even safe to institute any inquiry with a view to ascertain whether this be the case or not; but an indirect mode of expressing any opinion, indi- cates a secret consciousness that it will not stand the test of argument. (5.) The declaration, again, of " readiness, in case abuses should be found to exist in the Establishment, to co-operate for their removal," has a vagueness which, perhaps, may be conceived to be intentional ; and, at any rate, leaves an opening for much misconstruction. " Who," it may be asked, " is to point out the abuses ? and to whom ? And who is to decide whether they are abuses ? and with whom, and how is there to be co-operation?" Is it meant that when the existence of an abuse shall have been (in pamphlets, or newspapers, or in whatever way) satisfac- torily proved to each of those who signed the Address, they will then co-operate for its removal ? But with whom, and in what way, can they co-operate in any collective capacity, since they are only so many individuals, possessing neither legislative power, nor authority to decide, nor any corjjorate existence ? Or is it meant that when the exis- tence of abuses shall have been proved to the King and Parliament (who alone, at present, have this power), the signers of the Address will acquiesce in their decision ? To put forth a statement so understood, would probably induce all who wish for any alterations to hasten forward petitions to the King and Parliament for the remedy of alleged abuses. Or does it, lastly, mean to recommend the appoint- ment of some Body of men for the express purpose of making the inquiries and decisions alluded, to? But if APPENDIX. 43 this be meant, it ought to have been distinctly stated, and suggestions offered as to the character and mode of such an appointment. Such are likely to be the remarks made on the para- graph in question. (6.) Lastly, it is probable that objections will be raised to the mode in which reference is made to the Preface to the Book of Common Prayer. It will be recollected that that Preface is a vindication of certain alterations which had just been introduced ; and sets it forth as the principle of the Church of England, " to keep the mean between the two extremes of too much stiffness in refusing, and of too much easiness in admitting any variation from it." And it will be remarked, that the half sentence quoted in the Address, is followed by a defence of the practice of intro ducing "from time to time, according to the various exi- gency of occasions, such alterations as to those in authority may seem either necessary or expedient." [In a subsequent paragraph, introduced into the Address since its first publication, additional citations are made from this Preface. It may be observed, in reference to this paragraph, that the signers of the Address, how- ever numerous and respectable, are not those in authority, not being assembled in Convocation, or being in any way authorized to decide the question. If they, therefore, do not apprehend that this or that has been shown to be necessary or expedient, it may be answered that they are at present, only so many individuals, not empowered, as such, to pronounce on the question.] And it will also be remarked, that the Preface is so far from considering, as a reason against any such measure, the prevalence at any particular time of a " fondness for innovation leading to proposals either of dangerous conse- 44 APPENDIX. quence, or frivolous and vain," that it pointedly alludes to that very prevalence at that very time ; apparently giving that as a reason for distinguishing from each other susrsfes- tions of different descriptions, and for making concessions (when it could he done without mischief) even to some ■whose scruples it considered as excessive, for the sake of " cutting off occasion from them that seek occasion of cavil or quarrel," &c. &c. " Now supposing," it may he urged, " that you consider the principles laid down in this Pieface as objectionable, you should either establish your objections, or at least not make an appeal to it ; or if you think them sound, but not applicable to the present times, the reason for this distinc- tion ought to be stated. As it stands, the Address is likely to be regarded as at variance with that very document of our Church to which it appeals." It may be added that that Preface will be understood to imply an attachment to the Church as " deliberate, un- shaken, and cordial," as can be evinced by the signers of the Address ; yet the Preface commends the compliance with the applications made to the King for inquiry, as de- noting an inclination " to give satisfaction (as far as could reasonably be expected) to all his subjects of what persua- sion soever." And alterations are stated to have been actually in- troduced with this view, even under the full persuasion " that the Book, as it stood before, did not contain any thing contrary to sound doctrine, or which is not fairly defensible against opponents." Now, though infallibility is not claimed for Bishop Sanderson and those who sanctioned this Preface, it must be admitted to be a document of very high authority with those at least who expressly refer to it. And by so doing, they will be understood to bear their APPENDIX. 45 testimony, not only to the general soundness of its princi- ples, but also (unless tliey distinctly state the contrary) to the applicability of those principles to the present occasion. Many of the above objections appear likely to be so strongly urged, that unless care be taken to obviate them, it will not only be exposed to much misconstruction, but may afford a plausible pretext for the framing of counter- petitions of a dangerous character, as leading to ill-advised changes, and to the other evils adverted to in the Address, and to be so deeply deprecated. C. I have myself no doubt that the actually existing feel- ing on this subject very greatly exceeds the public mani- festations of it that I have alluded to. If any Bishop wishes to ascertain as truly as possible how far this is the case, his course should evidently be to confer privately, and singly, with his Clergy, and also with such respectable Lay-members of the Church as show the most interest in matters connected with religion ; en- couraging each person to speak his own unbiassed senti- ments, by giving him full assurance that whatever views he may adopt and express on the subject shall not operate to Ills prejudice as far as the favour of his Diocesan is con- cerned. But to take for granted that the Clergy, generally, are averse to a certain measure because they do not openly recommend it, — when perhaps each of them apprehends that by so doing he should produce no effect but that of raising a prejudice against himself, — and to profess readi- 4G APPENDIX. ness to take the subject into consideration whenever a large number of the Clergy shall have met, and concerted some i)lan in relation to it, — which they are expressly forbidden (in the Canons) to do, on pain of excommunica- tion,— this evidently cannot afford any assurance either to ourselves or to the Public, of the real state of men's senti- ments. THE END. CONDITION OF A CHUECH MILITANT. A CHAKGE, DELIVlillED AT THK ANNUAL VISITATION OF THE DIOCESE OF DUBLIN, IN THE CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST-CHURCH, DUBLIN, l6lh June, 1863. / By RICHARD WHATELY, D.D. ARCUBISHOP OF DUBLIN. LONDON : PARKER, SON, AND BOURN, WEST STRAND. DUBLIN : HODGES AND SMITH, GRAFTON STREET. 1863. LONDON : SAVII.L AND EDWARDS, PRINTERS, CIIANDOS STREET, COVENT GARDEN. CONTENTS. PAGE Different forms of Dangers to the Chinch 5 Dangers from Unwise Friends 7 Misapplication of Just Principles 8 Claim, for Scrijiture, of Verbal Inspiration 9 Denial of the Divine Authority of Scripture 12 Dangers from Rash Language 14 Various Cases of Ee-actions 16 Results of Excessive Dread of Change 18 Attachment to the Authorized Version 18 Check given to the Diffusion of Scriptural Knowledge . . 21 Duty of our Clergy 23 Disadvantage to which an Established Cliurch is exposed . 25 A 2 I i I i i I I I I I j I I I A CHARGE, ETC. § 1. /^NE may sometimes hear the Different remark made, that an Episco- forms of dan- pal Charge usually refers to some new ^^w^ and peculiar difficulties and dangers, to which either our own Church in particular, or Christianity in general, is, at the time, especially exposed. And some are thence perhaps led to consider the Church's rulers as somewhat of the character of alarmists; exaggerating grievances, or apprehending imaginary dangers. But in truth, difficulties and dangers will always beset the Church Militant here on Earth, till it shall become the Church Triumphant in Heaven: and though these are not necessarily greater at each succes- sive period than formerly, yet they call for special attention, as being, in general, somewhat different in form from those that have been before encoun- tered. The Sea is in many places making en- croachments on the land, not greater perhaps than G DIFFERENT FORMS OP DANGERS TO THE CHURCH. in past ages, but in fresh places, so as to require fresh embankments to resist devastation ; the an- cient sea-walls being no longer serviceable. And there is something analogous to this in the perils and difficulties which beset the Church. If not absolutely greater than formerly, they will per- haps have something of novelty in kind. To take one example of this : In the last and in preceding generations, all, or nearly all, of those who denied the truth of our Scriptures, avowed themselves adverse to Christianity; but now, a very large proportion of them profess themselves Christians; though the Christianity which they profess is something far more remote from what is commonly understood by the word, than the reli- gion of the Jews, or of the Mahometans.* * As a sample of the doctrine alluded to, I subjoin a passage from an author in some repute with a certain school : — " The true Christianity — a faith like Christ's in the infinitude of Man — is lost. None believeth in the soul of Man, but only in some man or person old and departed ! In how many Churches, and by how many prophets, tell me, is Man made sensible that he is an in- finite soul ; that the earth and heavens are passing into his mind ; and that he is drinking for ever the soul of God ! " The very word Miracle, as pronounced by christian Churches, gives a false impression ; it is a monster ; it is not one with the blowing clover and the falling rain Man's life is a miracle, and all that Man doth A true conversion, a true Christ, is now, as always, to be made by the reception of beautiful sentiments. The gift of God to the soul is not a vaunting, overpowering, ex- cluding sanctity, but a sweet, natural goodness like thine and mine, and that thus invites thine and mine to be, and to grow." Yet those who hold this doctrine would not scruple to make that declaration, "on the true faith of a Christian," to which some have attached such vast importance. DANGERS FROM UNWISE FRIENDS, 7 § 2. In taking measures for guard- ing against any dangers we may be Dangers ^ ^ ^ ^ •' ^ ° •'^ fi'om unwise exposed to, it is perhaps the wisest friends. course to look out, in the first in- stance, for any errors that may have been com- mitted by injudicious defenders. To point out, and to dwell upon such errors, may be less accept- able perhaps, but is more profitable than to advert exclusively to the faults of opponents. Errors on our own side are both the more likely to be over- looked by us, and also the more likely to damage our cause. Any error on this side, even though small in itself, may lead to important results; — sometimes directly^ and sometimes indirectly: di- rectly, when some false principle is applied more extensively than was expected by those who first laid it down; or again, wlien some doctrine which has a foundation in truth, is so mis-stated, exagge- rated, or misapplied, as to become dangerously false. And, mdirectly, any error, in principle or in practice, may lead to great and unforeseen re- sults by creating a dangerous re-action. For, it is a true and trite remark, that the generality of Mankind are prone to rush from one extreme to its opposite, and to mistake reverse of wrong for right. Not only, however, is this truth frequently in practice overlooked, but there are some who, though admitting, generally, that re-action may occasionally be apprehended, are accustomed to 8 MISAPPLICATION OF JUST PRINCIPLES. den}' it in each individual instance. And there are some who triumphantly urge the undeniable truth, that an entire series of evils cannot all have originated in re-action. And this indeed, is as obvious as that the initiatory motion of a pendulum must have been caused by some external impulse. But when once set in motion, it may long continue to oscillate. And in like manner, Mankind may often be found to vibrate, as it were, from one extreme to the opposite. Misappli- § ^' ^^^y instance of cation of just the misapplication of a just principle, the injudicious advocacy which is now prevalent, of the doctrine of Toleration. It is a doc- trine perfectly right in itself ; i.e. No one ought to be liable to secular penalties for conscientious reli- gious error: but this doctrine may be, and has been of late, so misapplied, as to justify the conduct of one who retains office in a Church, (be it a sound or an erroneous Church) to whose doctrines he is opposed. And with this conduct some are justly chargeable, even of those who the most loudly condemn it in others Avhose opinions differ from their own. And I cannot but strongly suspect that the re- markable prevalence in the present day, of this misdirection of the principle of toleration, is to be traced, in some measure, to such a re-action as I have just now adverted to. The persecution, on two occasions, some years ago, raised against a CLAIM, FOR SCRIPTURE, OF VERBAL INSPIRATION. 9 Divinity-professor, who was most unjustifiably assailed, and condemned unheard, on charges which were plainl}' proved to be a mere pretext,* pro- duced before long a strong and indignant sj^mpathy, such as has been since extended to cases to which no such sympathy was due. For, the greater part of Mankind are apt to overlook distinctions, perhaps very important, between cases that have something in common. There cannot therefore, I think, be a doubt that we are now feeling some of the effects of what then took place. Besides the intrinsic and immediate evil of an unjust act, those who were clear-sighted foresaw Avith dread the lasting dis- credit, and consequent danger, which the Church itself would thence incur. The spectacle of a number of the Clergy of our Church, combining to hunt down most unfairly an individual obnoxious to them, created naturally, however unreasonably, a distrust of the Ecclesiastical Body generally, and a disposition to consider any one exposed to our censure, as the victim of persecuting bigotry. § 4. One of the instances of a dangerous reaction, produced by an Sa-ipture'^''of error which some might consider, in verbal inspi- itself, trifling, is that which has resulted from the theory of what is called "plenary inspira- tion;" meaning by this an inspiration extending to matters quite unconnected with Religion,— and * See pamphlet on The Church and the Universities. 10 CLAIM, FOR SCRIPTURE, OF VERBAL INSPIRATION. extending also to the very words employed, so as to imply that those whom we call the Sacred Writers, were literally no more than mere Writers^ putting down the exact words that had been dic- tated to them; instead of being Men who recorded in their own language the information which had been supernaturally communicated to them, — and that only as far as Religion is concerned. And some, perhaps, who do not believe this, think it rio;ht to connive at, or encourao^e this belief amono^ the mass of the people, for fear of what is called " unsettling their minds." But persons of even no extraordinary acuteness, will be likely to reflect that if this verbal inspiration be needful as an adjunct of a Ilevelation, there must be need of an infallible guidance to ascertain precisely what the words are which were thus divinely dictated.* Yet it must be well known that there are in many hundred instances, various readings of Scripture; and that the student is left, in each instance, to judge for himself which is to be preferred. More- over, according to the above hypothesis, it would be needful that the words of each Translation also should be divinely inspired, so as to make it, in fact, an Original. And yet we know that all trans- lations do not a^ree with each other. And I need * And further still, what was the exact sense in which those words were understood when written : for, in process of time, words and modes of speech are apt to pass into new meanings and uses, different from their original intention. CLAIM, FOR SCRIPTURE, OF VERBAL INSPIRATION. 11 hardly observe that it is through translations alone that the greater part of Mankind can be instructed in Scripture. I have known an instance however of a person maintaining that the mass of the people ought to be left, or led, to believe, either that our Authorized Version was the original,* or that it is inspired and infallible ; though our Translators were so far from * The following is an extract from the Report of Eridence given before a Parliamentary Committee on Irish National Education : — " I should object in general to any Version different from our own, without inquiring into the question whether it was faithfully trans- lated or not ; because I conceive that when you give the Scriptures to a child, you present him with the Word of God ; and you should tell him that you are presenting him with an infallible guide ; and that anything that shakes his opinion in that guide, so far mars the pur- poses for which you have given the Book ; and I cannot conceive any- thing to do that more effectually than a diversity of Translatioa of the Scriptures." — [Lords, p. 582.] [Mr. Wyse.] "Are you aware that the Version of the Psalms used in the Church-services is very different from that to be found in the Authorized Version? \_Ans.'] I am. — Do you not think the child who hears them recited in the Church, and afterwards reads them in the Authorized Version in school, will naturally notice this difference of version? lAns.~\ I do not think there is one child in a thousand who knows of the existence of the difference, or ever has read the Authorized Version in tlie Bible ; they read it in the Prayer-Book. I am ready to go further, and say, I am very sorry there are two versions ; I am very sorry that one was not altered at the time the Gospels and the Epistles were ; but I do not see why, because there is this difference, that you should extend it. — Should this difference be perceived by tlie child, do you think any injury would arise from it ? [An-s.^ I should think that a very troublesome question to answer to any child. — So that it is a matter of contin- gency only, depending upon the capacity of the child, his acuteness, and opportunities, whether his mind may not be injured by this difference of Version ? [Ans.] I think it can be explained to the child ; but the fewer points of that kind there arc to be explained to the child, I think so much the better." [Commons, 2218, 2251.] 12 DENIAL OF DIVINE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE. making any such pretension, that they themselves have in many instances recorded their doubts, by giving one rendering in the Text, and another in the Margin. § 5. It is true that the various Denial of ,. . • . . , the divine au' I'eadings and various versions, do not thority of all affect the general drift of the Scripture. , . . . . . , . christian instruction contained in our Scriptures ; but they overthrow the hypothesis of verbal inspiration. And that overthrow has led, by a violent reaction, to a denial of all divine Au- thority to our Scriptures, and in fact to the total subversion of anything that can be called a Reve- lation. The rejection of the Old Testament is not, indeed, always accompanied by a denial, in express words, of the claims of the New Testament ; but it virtually implies it. For, that any one should seriously believe that he knows more than Jesus of Kazareth did, of God's dealings with his people, and yet should be sincere in professing to believe that that same Jesus was a divine Messenger, seems utterly incredible, except under the supposition of insanity. True it is that the inconsiderate will often hastily admit something that at the first glance appears plausible, and will at once reject what seems intrinsically improbable, without pausing to reflect what consequences that admission or that rejection will necessarily lead to. But there is a limit to this kind of rashness, when it does not amount to complete insanity. No one, surely, in DENIAL OF DIVINE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE. 13 his senses, could really think that the God of Truth would send an inspired Prophet into the World, who should confirm people in their belief of a foolish legend intimately connected with their Religion ; — a Prophet who should use such words as — " j\Ioses ■wrote of me; and if ye believe not his Writings, how shall ye believe my Words?" — when, in truth, the pretended Writings of Moses are entitled to no credit whatever. And again, if any one professing to believe Scrip- ture, maintains, as some have done, that there was no Gift of Tongues at the Day of Pentecost, — that Greek was the Mother-tongue of all Nations ; and that the Words which the Disciples spoke, in a fit of enthusiastic excitement, were merely an unusual and high-flown style of Greek, — he cannot Avonder if he is suspected of trying an experiment on the credulity of his readers. That Men speaking sundry diff*erent Dialects of Greek, should admire, as some- thing very eloquent, discourses in a strange and florid style, of which, accordingly, they could un- derstand little or nothing, is perhaps far from un- natural ; but that they should, all and each, reco- gnize it, as their own tongue wherein they were born, is something harder to be believed than any- thing recorded in Scripture. The marvel whicli Ave do find related as occurring on the Day of Pente- cost is every way far less strange than that which has been invented for the purpose of explaining it away. 14 DANGERS FROM RASH LANGUAGE. Bangers § ^' "^'^^ rejection of that miracle, from rash and of many others, has doubtless been language. encoui'aged by the rash langua^^e of some enthusiasts who speak of such events as occur at the j^resent day in terms appropriate to those that are miraculous ; and thus put a weapon into the hands of Infidels, which these are not slow to employ. There are some, as is well known, who profess to speak as they are " moved by the Spirit;" which is precisely the description given of the Disciples on the Day of Pentecost. There are some who describe themselves as speaking " Avith demonstration of the Spirit and of power," — an expression in which the Apostle Paul is evi- dently referring to his display of sensible miracles, as the signs of an Apostle. And in reference to the religious Revivals which have of late taken place, persons have openly proclaimed their convic- tion that we were really in the midst of the time prophesied by Joel, when " 3^our sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." When these and similar pretensions to ^vhat in fact amounts to miraculous agency, are put forth, we need not wonder that Rationalists should step forward, (as, accordingly they have) saying — "All this is just what was done by the first promul- gators of Christianity. Any remarkable event, they called a Miracle; just as you do. Like you, they considered as a divine revelation, or direction from DANGERS FROM RASH LANGUAGE. 15 above, any strong conviction or strong impulse. Their miracles are only poetically-coloured pictures of such things as are taking place around us. Their inspiration — their guiding inward light — was only those vivid impressions, and those grand designs, which are common to you with them. Both cases are alike miraculous or rion-miraculous. And in both, the belief in the Miracle is not the cause, but the effect of the reception of the doctrine. I may add, that the evil I have been adverting to, is very much fostered by the careless practice, of persons who have no wrong intention, of applying the terms " providential" and " miraculous" to any narrow escape from danger, or other remarkable occurrence : as if God's providence did not extend to all the affairs of the World, but only to some exceptional events. Not that such is, usually, the real meaning of most of those who employ such language; but the unthinking are apt to forget that, since the very object of language is to distinguish one thing from another, the designation of some rare and remarkable events as providential, conveys the idea that ordinary occurrences are not provi- dential,— that a safe voyage, for instance, which is not called providential, is less the gift of God's pro- vidence, than a wonderful escape from shipwreck. This kind of language, which is but too common, has therefore a manifest tendency to confound the miraculous with the non-miraculous, and ultimately to bring down the former to the level of the latter. 16 VARIOUS CASES OF RE-ACTIONS. The result lias been, as might have been antici- pated, that the so-called Rationalists have under- taken to explain away all the Scripture Narratives of Miracles, as merely somewhat highly-coloured records of ordinary occurrences, or, in some cases, of rather curious accidents. . ^ Numerous other instances Various ^ cases of re- might be givcu of the kind of danger ac ions. which I havc been adverting to. For in truth the history of re-actions would be in a great degree the history of human affairs. Thus, the claim to Authority on behalf of a Church, pushed to an unwise extreme, led to a revolt against all Church- Authority, and to the prevalence of various irregularities. This, again, brought about a movement in the opposite direction, ter- minating, in many instances, in secession to the Church of Rome; and in many more instances, introduced into our own Church, Romish prin- ciples and practices. This last movement, again, produced a re- action towards the prevalence of total Infidelity, or something nearly approaching to it ; in those very localities, especially, in which that movement had originated. This result, indeed, I took occasion distinctly to predict a good many years before it actually took place. I foresaw and foretold that the exalta- tion of supposed Church-traditions to a level with the Scripture, — the disparagement of the employ- ment of Reason in matters connected with Religion, VARIOUS CASES OF RE-ACTIONS. 17 — and above all, the system of what is called " Economy" or " double-doctrine," must lead before long, (as in fact it has led) to a more or less open rejection of the Gospel. On more than one recent occasion I endea- voured, as you will doubtless remember, to show the desirableness of introducing, in a regular Avay, and under competent Authority, some small altera- tions into our Church-services, and also into the Authorized Version of Scripture. The need of some Ecclesiastical Government invested with this competent Authority, and consisting exclusively of ]\Iembers of our Church, is a point to which, as you will recollect, I endeavoured to call attention on several occasions a good many years ago, when there were very few who agreed with me; though now there is a general concurrence on this point. And to introduce some such alterations as I have alluded to, would be fully in accordance with the princi[)les laid down in the admirable Preface to our Book of Connnon Prayer. It is remarkable that the pertinacity with which this has been re- sisted, was complained of by the illustrious Bacon in his own time. He urges that this excessive and unwise dread of alteration, is as unreasonable as if any one should maintain that though houses and castles require repair from time to time. Churches and Chapels are buildings that can never need any. And in another place he remarks very justly, that a bigoted adherence to what is established, has no 18 ATTACHMENT TO THE AUTHORIZED VERSION. less tendency to lead to disturbances, than rash innovation itself. 6 8. This observation appears to EesuUs of ^ ^ . T _ . excessive havc received coniirmation m our own dread of time. Proposals have been put forth (Jhange. for such a thorough re-modelHno^ of our Formularies, as would amount, or at least would be generally considered to amount, to an entire sub- version of some of the doctrines of our Church. And such proposals (as I remarked in a recent Charge) raise up the greatest obstacle to any moderate and well-considered change; by creating an alarm not altogether without reason, against the beginning of any, even the smallest, change; as being merely the prelude to a complete revolution. And thus these two opposite extremes act and re- act on each other. The pertinacious opposition to any, even well-considered, modification, has led to an impatient craving for violent and fundamental changes; and this, again, has, as I have just ob- served, increased the dread of any even moderate change. Attachment § 9- Again the clamour which of to the Aiitho- ^^^^ -g j^Q^ unfrequently heard, for a rized Tersion. _ '' total rejection of the Authorized Ver- sion, and the substitution of a completely new one, — this has been fostered by, and in turn tends to foster, that over-zealous and almost idolatrous veneration for our present Version, which forbids the gradual introduction from time to time even ATTACHMENT TO THE AUTHORIZED VERSION. 19 of the smallest and most obvious improvements and such as no one could deny to he improvements, called for either by the changes in our own lan- guage or by the establishment of preferable read- ings, or of more correct rendering.* The dread of dangerous innovations, though not in itself unreasonable, has in this case been carried to such a faulty extreme as is not unlikely to lead to those very innovations. But evils even still more serious have resulted from an excessive and unwise attachment to our Authorized Version. There is, as you are -well aware, a kind of rivalry between tliat and the Douay Version which is in the hands of the Ro- man Catholics; and though both versions contain all the essentials of Christianity (indeed I do not know of any Translation whatever that does not), some Protestants were so unwise as to denounce the Douay Version altogether, representing it as utterly unfaithful. This afforded an occasion to the Romish Priests to represent what they call the Protestant Bible as purposely falsified in order to support our doctrines. This injudicious proceed- ing, however, is much less common now than for- merly. And it appears, I may add, to be more perceived now than formerly, that the general agreement among different translations made by distinct and sometimes rival Churches, furnishes a * See Hall's Companion to the New Testament ; aud Booker's Obsolete Words. B 2 20 ATTACHMENT TO THE AUTHORIZED VERSION. decisive and satisfactory proof to the mass of Man- kind, (who, of course, cannot study Scripture in the Original) that they cannot have been imposed upon by any conspiracy among the learned. The several translations are so many independent wit- nesses, mutually confirming each other's testimony. In order to keep clear of the above-mentioned rivalr}^, the Irish Education Board, as you are doubtless well aware, published, for the use of the National Schools, a large portion, both of the Old and of the New Testaments, in a new translation, not strictly following either of the former versions. This obtained the unanimous sanction of all the Commissioners, both Protestant and Roman Ca- tholic. And the Publication comprised (besides a large portion of the Old Testament) the entire Gospel of Luke, and the whole Book of the Acts. The sanction thus given to such a work to be em- ployed for the purposes of united education, was an event which surpassed my most sanguine hopes. But unhappily an unwise over-reverence for our Authorized Version led a large proportion of Pro- testants to decry the wjDrk, and oppose the use of it. Most industriously did they exercise their in- genuity in finding objections against the version;* * One of the objections which was repeatedly put forward at public meetings, was, that an important passage in Luke's Gospel had been wholly omitted, by way of compromising a dispute which had arisen among the Commissioners, whether " Kepent," or " Do penance," should be the rendering adopted. And of the many hun- dreds who believed and circulated this report, few or none took the CHECK TO SCRIPTURAL KNOWLEDGE. 21 objections certainly not more numerous or more plausible than those which have been often brought against our Authorized Version, or than the objec- tions, long since refuted, which have been of late revived, against the original Scriptures themselves. It is always unwise, and most especially so in these days, to foster in men the habit of at once re- jecting everything against which some specious objections may be urged. Besides other objections, however, the work was even denounced as a mutilation of Scripture ; as if the Bible were one book, instead of being a collection of several distinct books; and were a book Avhich children at school had been accus- tomed to read all through. § 10. The ultimate result, how- Chech ^ , . . . , , , given to the ever, or this opposition has been the diffusion of virtual suppression of the work; a Scriptural ^ ' knowledge, measure which could never have been carried but for that opposition. Thus was neglected and finally lost, an oppor- tunity which no one could have calculated on beforehand as likely to otFer, and which no one can trouble to look into the book itself, to see whether it had any found- ation in truth ; it being in reality an entire fabrication. And of the party who invented and who circulated this calumnious falsehood, no one, as far as I know, has expressed any regret or shame. Another objection which I remember hearing brought forward, related to the omission of the division into chapters and verses. It was urged that these are believed by the mass of the people to be the work of the Sacred Writers themselves ; and that to undeceive them might unsettle their minds. 22 CHKCK TO SCRIPTURAL KNOWLEDGE. expect ever to return ; — a goklen opportunity for diffusing among the great mass of the Irish people such an amount of scriptural knowledge as they had never had hitherto, nor are ever likely to have hereafter. If it be true, as is generally believed, that a large proportion of Romanists dread, as un- favourable to their system, the general diffusion of Scripture-knowledge, though they are very un- willing openly to admit this, with what alarm these persons must have seen the Books I have been speaking of, placed, with the sanction of rulers of their own Church, in the hands of hundreds of thousands of the youth of their communion ; and with what wondering exultation must they have seen the scheme defeated through the agency of Protestants! Of all the wonders (and they are not few or small) which have appeared in the last half-century, this will probably be accounted by our posterity as the most marvellous. They will rej^ard it as a thins; above all others strano^e and unaccountable, that when an opening was afforded for imparting to Roman Catholics as well as to Protestants, — under the sanction of Roman Catholic Ministers, a large amount of Scriptural instruc- tion,— an amount which probably would have led most of them, in after years, to the study of the entire Bible, — this work should have been stre- nuously and perseveringly opposed, and finally defeated by Protestants; and that a whole gene- ration, and probably all future generations, should DUTY OF OUR CLERGY. 23 have been thus consigned to unscriptural darkness, through the efforts of persons zealous (though un- Avisely zealous) in the cause of scriptural instruc- tion. This, I say, will probably be regarded here- after as the greatest of all the wonders of the present age. It is the part of a wise man to view the scenes and the transactions around him, just as they icill be viewed by ordinary men a century hence. Not that the men of each successive generation are necessarily wiser than their forefathers; but their prejudices and errors will be different; and they will take a clear and just view of mistakes no greater perhaps than some others into whicli they themselves may have fallen. Even now, however, it is probable that there are many who regret the course that was pursued, even of those who at the time approved of it. But this regret is not likely to be by most of them openly proclaimed ; partly from a natural re- luctance to acknowledge an error; and partly, perhaps, from a conviction that the opportunity rejected has been lost for ever, and that regret comes too late to be of any practical benefit. § 11. It is not, however, too late, even now, to effect somethinnf in the "^l'/ ' o owr Clergy. cause of popular education, though far less than was apparently within our reach several years ago. We may yet be able, as it were, to obtain one Sibylline book at the price which three 24 DUTY OF OUR CLERGY. •would have cost some time back. And when we cannot do all that we could wish, we should yet strive to do all that is possible. The system, ac- cordingly, pursued at Trinity College, Dublin, is, as is well known, to impart secular instruction to all its members, of whatever persuasion; and re- ligious instruction to all who will accept it; but to force it on none. And it seems but fair to proceed on the same principle in our dealings with our poorer countrymen. To force people to receive true religious instruction, is what Ave have no power to accomplish, and no right to attempt ; but it is something gained if the mass of the people are enabled to read a copy of the Bible when put into their hands; and where but very few have this power, the circulation of useful Books is of course of small avail. Something, again, is gained, if the children are taught to read from books at least not positively pernicious. And something more is also gained by the diffusion of useful secular instruction. It is indeed a truth often elaborately proved, and ostentatiously proclaimed, though it has never been disputed, that mere secular knowledge, and mere intellectual culture, do not constitute a com- plete and sufficient education ; any more than the ploughing and manuring of a field are sufficient culture Avithout sowing it Avith good seed ; but these prepare the land for the reception of the seed. And even so it is Avith education; gross ignorance and AA'ant of exercise of the rational powers leave the DUTY OF OUR CLERGY. 25 mind as it were untilled, unfitted for the reception of truth, and prepared to adopt the most absurd superstitions. § 12. We are bound, therefore, to do our utmost to obtain for the mass ^^^^ZthZh of the population, if not the best con- anestabUshed ceivable education, at least the best posed. that they can be brought to accept. And to this the Clergy are doubly bound, not only as being their fellow-creatures and fellow-subjects, but also as being Ministers of an Endowed Church under the sanction of the State; which may be considered as thus committing to their care the moral and spiritual welfare of their people, as far as this can be promoted without oppressive en- croachments on liberty. Judicious efforts, therefore, on our part in that direction, besides being, we may trust, in them- selves acceptable to our divine Master, have a ten- dency to strengthen the position of the Established Church, as such. For we must never forget that an Established and Endowed Church such as ours, is regarded (and not altogether unfairly) as thence liable to a certain peculiar responsibility. And I may add, that a Church so situated has, besides the benefits thence accruing, certain pecu- liar disadvantages also, which ought not to be over- looked. One of these disadvantages I will, in conclusion, briefly notice. 26 DISADVANTAGE TO WHICH AN An Established Church is likely always to number among its nominal members a large pro- portion of the lukewarm and indifferent. Those who think little or nothing about any religion at all, will usually be content to swim with the stream, and to profess whatever religion is established; partly as a matter of fashion, and partly because they are thus saved from pecuniary expenditure. And hence many well-disposed and pious persons, but who are inaccurate thinkers, are apt to con- clude that there is some intrinsic inferiority in the Church itself which is dishonoured by such luke- warm members ; and that there must be more pure Christianity in the system of some Sect, most of whose members exhibit greater zeal. Yet the fact may perhaps be, that if that Sect and the Esta- blished Church were to change places, their re- spective proportions of the zealous and of the luke- warm would be reversed. Yet all this is overlooked by many well-meaning and zealous, but inconsi- derate persons: and they hastily join some Sect, Alliance, or Party, which under some specious title, holds out promises of a purity and perfection unat- tainable here below. The disadvantage I have been adverting to is one which cannot, from the nature of the case, be completely removed, but the danger arising from it may, I think, be lessened, by clearly and fully setting it before your people, and taking occasion to remind them from time to time, that Christianity ESTABLISHED CHURCH IS EXPOSED. 27 itself lias been exposed to most unfair objections from infidels, on account of the careless lives of many professed Christians : — and to exhort them to judge fairly of the doctrines and of the system of our Church by viewing these as they are in them- selves, and in their OAvn natural and proper ten- dency; and not from the conduct and character of those careless professors whose adherence to the Church is merely a matter of fashion and con- venience. THE END. i