iiiiiillM^^^ r, :" :■ m 1 I Columbia , V^4^.^y ' v^^r^ HARPER & BROTHERS HAVE RFXENTLY PUBLISHED — FOUR YEARS IN GREAT BRITAIN. By Rev. C CoLTON. New Edition, in one volume, 12mo. The following are a few of the literary notices that have been taken of this production : — " Mr. Colton's work contains mucli valuable statistical informa- tion with regard to the revenue, expenses, church estal)Ushment, and taxation of Great Britain, which he has collected with exemplary diligence. He has described with enthusiasm and with effect the extreme beauty of the country, the niagtiiticence of ancient edifices, the perfect order and admirable taste of the country seats, and the gorgeous spectacle of the king's levee and the queen's drawing- room." — American Quarterly Review. " Mr. Colton gives us the best description we have seen of O'Con- nell." " When he comes to Lord Brougham, he intro- duces a long and pompous description of a scene between him and Mr. Canning ; a passage which on a former occasion decorated the pages of this journal. Mr. Colton's own description is a hundred times better." " Mr. Colton describes his presentatioa to the king, and the joys and sorrows of that courtly mob. In the queen's drawingroom he was most struck with the Duchess of Kent, mother of the Princess Victoria. He describes her as a woman of noble bearing, and most graceful and attractive manner." — North American Review. " Four Years in Great Britain combines the rare qualities of a sketch book and a book of facts. It has enough of the former to enchain the attention of youth and the most superficial readers— to gratify the glowing imagination of the sentimentalist ; and enough of the latter to make the work almost indispensable, as a record of various and important information on British society, manners, sta- tistics, politics, statesmen, metropolitan and rural customs, &c." " Mr. Colton has given us a work, which develops no ordi- nary talent— entertaining to one class, instructive to another, inter- esting and useful to all." — Knickerbocker. " We take leave to recommend this book to all such as like to have useful information blended with entertainment in what they read. The writer was long enough m the country and among the people he describes, to acquire facts correctly, and form just opinions, and his candour appears to be very great. His accounts of men and manners generally are clever and amusing ; and he has shown much Bkill in the selection of such topics as will be most likely to combine novelty and interest to American readers." — New-York Gazette. ii CoUon's " Four Years in Great Britain." " The general strain of remark in these volumes is grave, and their tendency salutary to the cause of truth and virtue. The pages of our author cannot be perused without leading us to think and feel." " The picture which these volumes unfold of the church of England, is a work of no ordinary merit. We thought our- selves prepared for a statement of the enormous wealth of the estab- lishment ; yet the development was astounding We must accede to Mr. Colton the palm of having laken all pains to attain a just conclusion. He was not ignorant of the difficulties attending this subject. He has furnished us with the means of estimating the expense ; and with the scrutiny of a Bentham, he has compared the wealth of the English church with the revenues of France, Spain, and Rome, and calculated the expense of Christianity in different countries." " Mr. Colton, in our view, betrays neither scantiness of knowledge, nor narrowness of view." "Our critics must do their part towards rendering every traveller an Irving in manner and a Colton in matter." — Literary and Theological Review. " We perceive that the public press, as well as common rumour, is universally speaknig in terms of decided and strong approbation of Mr. Colton's work. The attention it has excited, and the commend- ation it IS receiving, are, perhaps, unrivalled for a work of the kind, in the space of one weeic after its publication." — New- York Observer. "Of Four Years in Great Britain we have heard but one uni- versal expression of approbation. Indeed, its pleasing and unaffected style, its simple and unpretending relation of facts and impressions, and its short and pithy descriptions, render it agreeable to every reader ; and to an American the adventures and opinions of a country- man in and with regard to Old England, must be peculiarly interest- ing. Its sentiments on religion, and particularly with regard to church estabUshments, are gratifying to a Christian and liberal-minded community — and thepohtician may gather from its details of British resources, politics, and jurisprudence, much useful information." — Brooklyn Advertiser. " Let those who want to know what Great Britain is, from the throne down to menials of the lowest condition, what are the fruits of her monarchy, her aristocracy, her church and state — let those who wish to have set before them lively and graphic pictures of society, of men, of manners, of things, so as to see them without the trouble and expense of going abroad — let those who are fond of trav- elling v/ith the traveller, of seeing with his eyes, of hearing with his ears, and of enjoying with him the agreeable things of town and country — in England, Scotland, and Ireland — read this book. We did not think so much could be said of Great Britain which we did not know. Mr. Colton has made it all a fresh and new story. It is a contribution for which the public will thank him.'' — National Intel- ligencer. "This work bears intrinsic evidence of candour. Yet it is to be observed, and much to the author's credit, that to spy out the naked- ness of the land has by no means been his object. If he saw much to censure, he has good sense enough and gentlemanly feeling, to know that censurable points are not the most interesting materials whereof to make a useful book. An entertaining book he has assuredly made— eminently so." — New-York Times. ColtorCs " Four Years in Great Britain^ ill " Mr. Colton seems to have possessed such excellent judgment in finding out scenes and objects worthy of a traveller's attention — so much tact in avoiding the hackneyed and coininonphce — and he de- scribes what ho saw with such vivacity ; and more than all, he has so many personal anecdotes to tell of his own adventures among beggars, and coachmen, and landlords, and peasants, and gentlemen and ladies, and he tells them with so much pomt and good humour, that the reader feels as much at home with him as though he were an old acquaintance. One thing we like him for especially ; and that is, for giving such copious details as he does of scenes, and per- sons, and classes of society, out of the common routine of travellers in England ; and this, of course, is to be ascribed in a great measure to the lengtli of time employed in picking up his knowledge. Four years in England are enough to furnish materials for a dozen vol- umes ; it may easily be conceived, then, how richly two volumes must be filled, wheie such an ample stock of recollections existed. In a word, we like Mr. Colton's book, and we think all other readers will like it too." — New- York Evening Star. " We have looked through these volumes with a deeper interest than we had anticipated in opening them, and we lay theni down with the impression, that they are destineISCOPACV. 97 lawS) and remains the same from the date of its exist- ence ; the pubhc can see what it has been, what it is, and may satisfactorily know what it will continue to be ; while that of many of these comparatively irresponsible institutions, is developing new and latent energies from year to year, constantly varying in their forms, and sur- prising the public with some hitherto undiscovered fea- tures. It is moreover to be said in praise of the Episcopal church, that she has most scrupulously abstained from meddling with all political questions ; that she has never approached them — a most important and material fact in that regard, which has been under consideration in this chapter ; at the same time, that the most exciting political question, now convulsing the nation, has been carried into the Presbyterian connexion to a wide extentj been discussed warmly in churches, in Presbyteries, and Synods, and in many of them passed into the form of resolutions, so as to draw down the notice of our national legislature, and caused it to be said on the floor of the Senate — " that if the Presbyterian church should insist on agitating this question, it would divide the Union." This is the substance and point of the declaration, though not perhaps the exact words. I quote from memory. This uniform and conscientious abstinence from poli- tics is a most important feature, and a practically salu- tary element in the American Episcopal church. It is meddling with politics that has for centuries been most injurious to Christian churches — injurious and destruc- tive to their appropriate character and spiritual influence — and greatly injurious to their reputation, and I may add, to the reputation and influence of Christianity in the world. It is not without reason, that political men and governments are jealous of large Christian organizations — as history so abundantly attests, that the influence ac- quired by them has been frequently abused. When, therefore, we see the Presbyterian church, as a church, taking up questions which have an intimate connexion with the structure of our political institutions, and pass- ing resolutions upon them for the purpose of influencing 9 E 93 REAS0N3 the public mind, it becomes a natural subject of anxiety, not only with Christians, who desire to see politics kept out of the church, but with politicians and statesmen, who are always jealous of such interference. It tends to keep alive and nourish that prejudice, which has so long been felt, and to give occasion for a renewal of the charge — that Christians in their organizations have polit- ical designs. It is a remarkable feature in th-e changes of society, that a community sometimes gets into a new slate of the combination of its constituted elements before it is, as a whole, aware of it. Such eminently is the present con- dition of our country, religiously considered. It turns out, that the Episcopal principle is the pervading and ruling element of our whole religious public at this mo- ment — the announcement of which, no doubt, will take many by surprise. But a single glance at facts will show that it is indeed so. The facts adduced in this chapter prove it, not to name any more. Turn our eyes which way we will over the wide country — more espe- cially when we look at the great anniversaries of our religious and benevolent institutions at Boston, New- York, and Philadelphia — we find the entire religious pop- ulation, including every denomination of importance, associated and organized into systematic bodies, super- vised and controlled by a few individuals, and all based on the Episcopal principle — and that in most cases in the most absolute and energetic form. Ther? is now no escape from it — no treading back. If Episcopacy is an evil, considered as a theory for practical use, we have left us only the choice of evils — to adopt its simple and proper form, as in the Protestant Episcopal church of the United States, which is definite, palpable, and respon- sible ; or go on under the supervision and control of these extemporaneous institutions, which have grown up, as it were, in a night — which are the creatures of accident — which have been constantly shifting in their forms with circumstances — which are still liable to changes every year, and will doubtless exT^erience them — the end of FOR EPISCOPACV. ' 99 which no human foresight can predict — but which will be sure always to carry in them the element of power, naturally tending to the augmentation of its energies with the progress of time. I have shown in the light of comparison, that Ameri- can Episcopacy — or that church pohty and government, which generally passes under this name — is the simplest, purest, and most equal of all ; that, when subjected to analysis and the most rigid scrutiny, it cannot be found fault with, as withholding the balance of power from the people ; but that its constitutional structure, as is the fact with our pohtical institutions, and in accommodation to the republican principles of this land, confers upon the people an influential and actual control. It has been seen, that the constitution of the Episcopal church is even more popular in this particular than the Presbyte- rian, inasmuch as the laity are not only admitted into the highest legislative place on a footing of equality with the Bishops and Presbyters, for the decision of all ques- tions — but on one contingency they may array them- selves in a separate rank, to determine votes by a pure laical influence by a majority of their own — a most ex- traordinary, and for the people, a most generous con- cession. It shows in the first place, that the Bishops and clergy never wished to have an undue influence ; and in the next, that they never can have. It is manifest, that there is no religious association in this country so pure and popular as this, where there are official grades, one above another ; and the history of the American Episcopal church proves, that it operates har- moniously. In other portions of our religious world, the elements of collision are extensively and powerfully at work, striving, each man for himself and each society for itself, for an Episcopal sway, but rejecting its proper form — which notable fact, and the manner thereof, afford a most reasonable ground of presumption, that the real occasion of these colUsions is the want of Episcopacy in form. Consider, for example, the unhappy relations of the American Home Missionary Society and the Board of 100 REASONS Missions of the Presbyterian church — both Episcopal in- stitutions in principle, and that of the highest order. Throughout the wide territories of the Presbyterian church these societies cover the same and the whole ground ; are of the same nature and have the same object ; they come into collision everywhere, dividing churches, Ses- sions, Presbyteries, Synods, and the General Assembly. All these unhappy results would be entirely avoided under the proper forms of an Episcopacy. And so gen- erally we may say of the known collisions of the Pres- byterian church, in other forms and on other topics, prac- tical, doctrinal, and disciphnary. It cannot for a moment be doubted, that it is better to have religious organizations, well defined, fixed, and known — and so compact and comprehensive in their forms, as not to be easily shaken or disturbed, by ambi- tious aspirants, or contentious persons — than for a doar to be left open for perpetual innovations, or for the com- munity to be flooded from time to time with new schemes and new societies to take the place of others, or to come into collision with them, to the disturbance of the public peace. The religious history of our country for the last twenty years is a most impressive illustration of the cor- rectness of this remark. But, then, although it does indeed appear by this showing, that American Episcopacy is not so bad as we thought it was ; although it must be confessed, that its constitutional and fundamental principles, as ex- pressed and declared, are suitable, fair, and safe for the people ; yet its very genius is the spirit of domination ; it has the mark of the beast upon its forehead ; we cannot forget what it has done at Rome — what it has done and is doing in Great Britain. Alas for the name of a thing, if it has ever been bad ! There is no getting over a name. What has American Episcopacy to do with Rome, or Rome with it 1 What with Great Britain, or Great Britain with it 1 Chris- tianity was at Rome, therefore Christianity is good for nothing ; it is bad. Christianity is in the church of FOR EPISCOPACY. 101 England, therefore Christianity is to be feared ! Cer- tainly the last conclusion comes as legitimately as the first. But, admitting that Episcopacy is bad ; that its genius is the spirit of domination ; we have seen that the prin- ciple is in operation throughout the land, in numerous forms, in all the great religious organizations and asso- ciations ; and independently of tliem ; and that Episco- pacy in its own proper form is the least objectionable of all, first, because it is open, fair, and fixed ; and next, because it actually operates well. Who shall give a bad name to that which is good — good in appearance — good in fact ] If these otiier and surreptitious forms of Epis- copacy, which have imbodied the principle, under covert forms, indeed, but forms most potent — if these are safe — how much more safe is Episcopacy in its proper form "? On the very principles of those, who object to Episcopacy, but who yet run into it in practice, they ought themselves to be Episcopalians, if they would be eonsistent — cer- tainly, if they would be fair. It is due to themseLves ; it is due to the public ; and in my opinion it would be more safe for the public, and only in that way safe ; for then the public could know what to depend upon ; whereas now they cannot know. To object to Episcopacy for what it may possibly be, when no other possible objection can be found, is indeed the weakest objection possible. If brought against these covert forms, there might possibly, nay with truth, be some force in it. These, possibly, may not in the end turn out well. There must be high endowments of wis- dom and of virtue to save them from being carried into an uncomfortable stretch of power ; and more virtue and more wisdom, than ordinarily fall to the lot of man, to redeem them, when once they shall have got there. Moreover, when given individuals have been long time candidates for the Episcopal office — have fairly earned their way to it — and at last been regularly chosen and publicly invested with its trust and appropriate preroga- tives, under Constitutional and Canon law, being bur- dened with its distinct and well defined responsibilities, 102 REASONS as well as clothed with its powers — there is no surprise in the public mind — there can be none. They have come into their place by universal consent, themselves ap- pointed to be governed, as well as to govern, by a well defined code of regulations. But in the other case, when men have made their way into a higher and more absolute power of the same kmd, though under another name, and stand in it independent of a like salutary con- trol, the public will sooner or later be surprised, and become anxious. And the consequence will be a strug- gle — on the one hand to maintain, and on the other to reduce an influence, which, it will be averred, was not fairly acquired, and is dangerous to be held without a more tangible responsibility and control. Thus society is liable to convulsion and disaster. Lest it should not only be conceded, that the argu- ment of this chapter is good and sufficient for its pur- pose, but felt also by some minds, that it proves too much, viz. that no Episcopacy whatever is safe ; or lest there should be left a conviction tending to that conclu- sion, it may be proper for me to remark, that, although there may be a leaven of feeling in the community, dis- posed to cherish a repugnance to all sorts and degrees of religious organization, I do not think it is sufficient to prevent them. The economy of combination and organ- ization is tlie spirit of the times — in matters of business and in social arrangements. A pure democracy is known and confessed to be an impracticable theory. That is, every member of the community cannot be the President, or the Governor, or the Justice, or the Juror ; neither can the whole body of the people get together for the trans- action of every item of public business, as they would then have time to do nothing else, and the ends of society would be frustrated. It is impossible to come nearer to democracy, than Republicanism, the principle of which is — that the people shall have a voice in the election of their rulers, and an immediate or mediate control over the appointment of all public servants. And such we have seen is the organization of the American Episco- FOR EPISCOPACY. 103 pal Church — purely lepubHcan. This is easily seen, and may be made evident and satisfactory to all. And if this is the genius of our institutions and the spirit of the country, it harmonizes perfectly with the age, the will of the people, and the character of their civil gov- ernment. Order in religion, since the people must have a religion, and since it is of all things most desirable and most important, is as necessary as in civil society ; and hence it is impossible to dispense with a religious, or spiritual polity. And a pohty, that harmonizes with the spirit of the people and the genius of their government, cannot fail to be satisfactory. Whatever else they may be dissatisfied with, they cannot complain of this ; what- ever else they may fall back from, they must have a basis somewhere, and they can hardly fall back farther than their own will, as usually expressed. It has ever been found, and doubtless will always prove so, that it is as impossible to accomplish the great objects of reli- gion without a social organization, as it is to attain the objects of a civil {]^overnment without it. The latter would be a contradiction in terms ; but there is nothing in which public sympathy operates so powerfully as in religion ; and the more powerful the religious propensity may be in its social character, the more does it require a salutary direction and control. Religion without gov- ernment runs into fanaticism — into chaos — in the same manner, as the ordinary state of society would be dis- solved into anarchy without civil order. For myself, I have no concern, that the effect of my argument, if it should prevail, would be to react upon the Episcopal system, where it exists in its proper form, to dissolve and bring it to the ground. The more severely this sys- tem is subjected to scrutiny, the brighter will it shine, and the more will it commend itself to the respect and estimation of the public. 104 REASONS CHAPTER III. Consideration of objections to the Liturgy, and to other forms and modes of Episcopal worship. The forms and modes of public worship in the Epis- copal Church are no part of Episcopacy in itself consid- ered, as a polity and government. They are properly accidents in such a relation. That is, there is nothing in Episcopacy, that necessarily demands them. Although the Liturgy of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States is in all fairness to be judged by its simple merits, yet in entering on this subject it will probably be deemed pertinent, so far as we have space, and may also be gratifying to the curious, as well as use- ful to the inquiring, to introduce this chapter by a brief retrospective and historical view of the Liturgies of the Hebrew and Christian Churches — and more especially of the Liturgy, the consideration of which is more par- ticularly before us. It is a remarkable fact, that the first occasion of public w^orship, to which the children of Israel were summoned after they had crossed the Red Sea, was celebrated by singing or chanting a piece of Liturgical composition, in which all the people joined in alternate ranks, or choirs : " Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying — I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously," &c. Ex. xv. 1 — 19. That this is one of the sublimest and most beautiful specimens of devotional composition, ever writ- ten, I need not say. It was suited to the occasion, itself most sublime, awful, triumphant. When the more public worship of the assembled people was over, " Miriam and all the women" took up the same anthem " with tim- brels and in dances," FOR EPISCOPACY. 105 The writings of Moses generally were made a public ritual ; and it will be observed, that they are frequently interspersed with a specific and imperative injunction, that they should be read to all the people. Occasionally we have prescribed forms for the different parts of pub- lic service, of the nature of daily and other occasional consecrations of the people, sacred vessels, &c. ; re- sponses, benedictions, with a multitude of other offices ; of which the following are a few specimens : For the ex- piation of uncertain murder, it is ordered^ first, that the priests and sons of Levi should be in attendance ; next, that " the elders of the city, nearest unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over a heifer," beheaded in the place of murder ; and they, the elders, representatives of the people, " shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. Be mer- ciful, Lord, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast re- deemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people Israel's charge." This was a prescribed ceremony and form for such a case. Deut. xxi. 5-8. " In this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them : The Lord bless thee, and keep thee ; the Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee ; the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." Num. vi. 23-26. "And it came to pass, when the Ark set forward, that Moses said (was accustomed to say,) Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered ; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. Aud when it rested, he said, Return, Lord, unto the many thou- sands of Israel." Num. x. 35-36. The 26th chap- ter of Deuteronomy is an interesting specimen of a pre- scribed Liturgical service, ceremonial, responsive, declar- ative of covenant engagements, &c. And numerous other portions of the writings of Moses are composed into prescript forms, adapted to occasions, and allotted to persons, people, and priests, according to the parts respectively assigned to each. David appointed the Le^ vites " to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at even." 1 Chron. xxiii. 30. Which is evidently a morning and evening public service — or k3 106 REASONS prayers. The Temple service ordered and established by Solomon was minute and circumstantial in its pre- scribed Liturgical assignments ; and also as restored by Nehemiah after the captivity, which he says, was all done " according to the commandment of David and Solomon his son." Neh. xii. The Psalms, as seems to be universally conceded, are nearly all Liturgical, va- riously assigned to the priests, people, and choir. In short, it may be said, that the Hebrew ritual, in process of time, grew up into a comprehensive system for com- mon and for all special occasions, specifically and mi- nutely divided into separate parts for all and for each. And what is specially worthy of notice is, that there was Divine authority for it, if we are to respect the ordi- nances of Moses, as worthy to claim this high character. The same may be said of the Psalms, and the order of public worship, which these inspired compositions pre- scribed. So also of many other parts of the Old Testa- ment, which were evidently designed for Liturgical use. Frequently we find such notices as the following : " Then on that day David delivered forth this Psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren — Give thanks, &c." 1 Chron. xvi. 7. See also Ps. cv. " Moreover Hezekiah, the king, and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the seer,'''' &c. 2. Chron. xxix. 30. " So the service of the house of the Lord was set in ordery lb. 35. " They set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord after the or- dinances of David. And they sang together hy course,^'' &c. Ezra hi. 10-11. "And Moses wrote this law, (meaning his writings comprehensively) and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, and unto all the elders of Israel. And Moses commanded them, &c Thou shalt read this law before all Israel, in their hear- ing. Gather the people together, men, women, and chil- dren, and the stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, that they may learn, and fear the Ijord your FOR EPISCOPACY. 107 God, and observe to do all the words of tliis law." Deut. xxxi. 9-12. It is evident, therefore, that the Hebrews, and after- ward the Jews — the latter being the name of the rem- nant, after the ten tribes disappeared — had a Liturgy on a most e.Ytensive scale, and that in the sense of prescribed forms of public worship. Every part of this service seems to have been prescribed, and the manner ihereol'. When our Saviour appeared, he found the Jews in the possession and use of a pubhc ritual. I think I am war- ranted to assume, that this point will not be disputed. It is abundantly proved by the concurrent authorities of Josephus, Scaliger, Buxtorf, Selden and others. Hammond and Lightfoot, of later time, have clearly- shown, not only, that the Jewish Liturgy prescribed the forms of prayer and praise, but they have been able to determine the order and method of their hymns and sup- plications. It is evident that our Saviour conformed to that ritual, including all established orders of public worship, inasmuch as no notice occurs of a complaint brought against him for departing from it, or in any way treating it with disrespect. This would have been a material and grave charge, and would have been seized upon with avidity and determination, if any overt acts or neglect of his had laid him open. It would have occa- sioned such a clamour, and led to such results, as could not have been passed over by such fidelity of history, as is known and believed to have characterized the Evan- gelists. This total silence, therefore, is tantamount to a positive statement of the fact, so necessarily involved. Hence we account most satisfactorily — and so far as I can see in no other possible way — for the exceeding and scrupulous paucity of any new and peculiar religious services introduced by our Saviour. He lived under the Jewish dispensation, and conformed to it. All agree in this last position. And that conformity must have in- cluded a submission to the forms and orders of public worship. The prayers of " the hypocrites," " standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets," which our 108 REASONS Saviour rebukes, Math. vi. 5. evidently refer, not to acts of public worship, as usually kept up under authoritative regulations, but to private devotions, such as are now practised in Catholic countries and churches, and by the Turks, for ostentation. The directions immediately given, in the 6th verse, determine this point : " But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet,'''' &c. It is a notable fact, that our Saviour published and established no other form of prayer, except the short and comprehensive one, commonly called the Lord's Prayer. So scrupulous was he not to innovate on the established forms of worship, (I think it is fair to reason in this way, and that no other way can account for the fact) that when the disciples, by the mouth of one of their number, made the distinct request, " Lord teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples,'^ he still went no further, than to give them again " the Lord's Prayer" abridged, except only some instructions by way of com- mentary on the spirit of prayer. John, it would seem, had given his disciples some new forms ; but our Sav- iour declined. Christ was accustomed to pray, and to pray with his disciples. It was immediately after he had concluded prayers " in a certain place," that this request was made, which proves, that it was not only a form, but some new form, which they asked for ; and I think it moreover proves, that our Saviour himself had at this time been using a common form. If the prayer was new and extemporaneous, then the very thing asked for was before them, viz. a pattern. I think soberly, that this will not be regarded as a forced conclusion. It is natural, probable, and the only consistent interpretation. I do not deny, it is reasonable to beheve, that our Sav- iour was accustomed to offer up prayers appropriate to himself, to his relation to his Father, to his disciples, to the world ; and of course entirely out of the range of a common ritual. Such for example is his prayer in the 17th of John ; during his agony in Gethsemane ; and on the Cross. But it is a most remarkable fact, that he pubhshed and prescribed no forms for common use, ex- cept the Lord's Prayer j and I know not how to account FOR EPISCOPACY. 109 for it, unless by adniilting, that he did not think proper to disturb or innovate upon the estabh.shcd Jewish Lit- urgy. The only other items of a proper Liturgical ser- vice which he gave, in addition to the Lord's Prayer, were for the observance and administration of the Sacra- mental ordinances — the Supper and Baptism. These, as is obvious, were essentially necessary, inasmuch as they are the only seals and symbols in Christ's visible kingdom, appointed for use to the end of the world. The publication of them was reserved — of the one, till he was about to suffer, and of the other, till the time of his As- cension. " Wlien He, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth ; he will show you things to come." According to directions given, the Apostles waited at Jerusalem for " the promise of the Father" — for the Spirit. It was left with them, under such a guide, to open the Christian dispensation, and to estab- lish its ordinances. And now let us see what course they pursued in relation to the Jewish ritual, and in establishing new forms of worship. First, they did not immediately and thoroughly aban- don the temple worship, but were found habitually in attendance upon it : " Now Peter and John went up to- f;-^ther into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour" — or evening prayer. Acts iii. 1. At Anti- och in Pisidia " Paul and his company went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets" — after the customary Liturgical service was over — " the rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them, saying. Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on." Acts xiii. 14-15. I cannot see, that the use, which Paul made of this occasion, is any detri- ment to my argument. The narrative shows, lirst, that the Apostles were accustomed to attend on the Jewish service ; next, that their appearance in this instance im- pressed the rulers of the Synagogue, not only, that they were regular worshippers, but so exemplary in their con- formity, as to mspire the confidence, though sirangers, 10 110 REASONS that they might dehver an acceptable exhortation. At Thessalonica, " where was a Synagogue of the Jews, Paul, as his manner (custom) loas, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures." It is morally certain, that he could not have purchased these repeated protracted hearings, un- less he had conformed strictly to their ritual. " To the Jews I became a Jew, that I might gain the Jews ; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law," &;c. 1 Cor. ix. 20. For a long time the Apostles practised circum- cision, and generally conformed to Jewish rites and cer- emonies, over and above the public Liturgical services — as in the case of Paul's " shaving his head at Cenchrea, because he had a vow." Acts xviii. 18. Peter held out so long in conformity to Jewish customs, that, on one occasion, Paul had to rebuke him for " dissimu- lation ;" " for he was to be blamed." It is evident, therefore, that the Apostles did not immediately, nor for a long time, abandon the temple worship at Jerusalem, nor that of the Synagogue in other places. But did they set up a Christian ritual 1 Yes. as soon and as fast as was convenient. It was not possible to do much in that way immediately. It had taken ages and centuries to form the Jev^ish ritual, and to bring it into use ; nor is it easy to see, that there were any facil- ities much more advantageous for establishing a full and complete ritual for the Christian Church, in any brief period, if we consider the state of the world, and the materials, out of which the church was to be formed — having Judaism on the one hand to subdue and trans- form, and paganism on the other, to reclaim from its idolatry and multitudinous vices. The first form of prayer given us in Acts iv. 24-30, is partly composed from the Jewish Liturgy, as \ ill be seen ; and what is more, " they lifted up their voice to God ivith one accord.'''' Even though it be clai*ned as an extemporaneous prayer, it was evidently supported in a proper Liturgical manner, according to custom. It is fairly to be inferred from the Epistles of the Apostles, FOR EPISCOPACY. Ill that they began to introduce Liturgical services. The rebuke of Paul to the Corintliians, " every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine," &c. has its force only in this assumption, that they did not observe the forms and rules, that had been prescribed by him, harmoniously. The " Amen" prescribed to " the unlearned" proves the custom of responses. Even " the prophets," or persons favoured with revelations, the Apostle required to be subject to prescribed rules, in the use of their gifts, that "all things might be done to edification." He enjoined silence, except on this condition. The joint worship " in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" enjoined on the Ephesians and Colossians is to this point. They were to " teach and admonish" by these, evidently implying some other conjunct services, not indicated clearly and alone by these terms. Liturgies have been ascribed to the Apostles, Peter and James, and to the Evangelist Mark. St. James's Liturgy was composed for the Church at Jerusalem, of which he had the charge ; and the existence of which, as genuine, seems to be demonstrated by the fact, that Cyril, one of his successors over the Church of Jerusa- lem, wrote a commentary upon it. Certain it is, that there were Liturgies in existence from the earliest times of the Church, denominated " Common prayers" by Jus- tin Martyr, of the former part of the 2d Century ; " con- stituted prayers," by Origen, of the first part of the 3d Century ; and " solemn prayers," " preces solennes," a round of prayers, or prayers perennial, by Cyprian, middle of the 3d Century. The Emperor Constantino had prayers composed for his army, and used in his Court " authorized prayers," according to Eusebius. Basil and Chrysostom, of the 4th Century, composed Liturgies. The Council of Laodicea in the year 3G7 ordered, " that the same Liturgy, or form of prayer, should be always used, both at the ninth hour, and m the evening." The same rule was adopted by the fourth general Council of Chalcedon in the year 451. The Council of Mela, in the former part of the 5th Century, enjoined, " that such prayers should be used by all, as 112 REASONS were approved of in the Council, and that none should be said in the Church, but such as had been approved of by the more prudent sort of persons in a Synod." From the fourth and fifth Centuries onward, do^vn to the Reformation of the sixteenth Century, it is univer- sally admitted, that Liturgies, full and complete, v^^ere in common use all over the Christian world, prescribed by the Ecclesiastical authorities of the different times, un- dergoing occasional alterations and additions. It is evident, therefore, that the Christian Church came into the use of an established and complete ritual of worship, as soon as was convenient ; that the Jews have always had a public ritual, and still continue to have it ; and that remote branches of the Christian Church, such as the Syrian, discovered by Dr. Bu- chanan, and the xibyssinian, as travellers affirm, have kept their rituals from the earliest ages. The Liturgy of the Church of England was finally compiled and authorized under Edward YI. in 1548, since which there has been but little alteration. The Commission appointed for that purpose was composed of 7 Bishops, Cranmer and Ridley, Martyrs of Queen Mary's reign, having been two of them ; and of six other high dignitaries of the Church — in all 13. Some slight expurgations and amendments have since been made in ♦he times of Elizabeth, James I., and Charles II. ; but none of material importance since 1661. It is well known, that the Roman Church went into great excess in multiplying occasions and objects of worship, public and private, and in devising and adapting forms to each and all. They ran into idolatry, and bur- dened the public conscience with innumerable supersti- tions. It is equally well known, that the Reformed Pro- testant Churches rejected, each for itself, what of the occasions and objects of worship they considered idola- trous, and what of the forms specifically appertained to them. They rejected also more or less of form, that was in itself indifferent to conscience — that is, forms that might or might not be used, without oflfence to conscience FOR EPISCOPACY. 118, — according to the discretion and taste of those, who took the lead in these new organizations, and as they judged might minister most to edification and to the ad- vancement of the interests of pure rehgion. Some went to an extreme, and laid aside nearly all form ; others re- tained a little more ; others still more ; but the Church of England, after expunging those parts obnoxious to Protestant principles, availed herself of all those helps, which she considered were properly and well provided for public devotion and private worship, and which re- cognised, professed, and guarded the fundamental, and comprehensively, the essential doctrines of Christianity. The Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States is the daughter of the Church of England, and has re- tained her Liturgy and forms substantially, having reject- ed and expunged a few parts, and adapted others to the pe- culiarities of our country and its institutions. It maybe remarked, that some of the things rejected and expunged by the American branch, have been disapproved by nu- merous intelligent and serious minds in the Church of England, who have wished and who still hope to see the time, when these defects and blemishes shall be blotted from their own public and authorized ritual. That there are features and parts in the ritual of the American Episcopal Church, liable to objection and to criticism with those, who reject nearly all forms and prescripts of the kind, is very easy to suppose. That some criticisms may be plausibly sustained, on the sim- ple merits of the subjects, I do not deny. I have felt and made them myself, and still feel their force. But, if I am satisfied with them, as a whole ; if my conscience and taste are not oflfended ; if I can see reasons for be- lieving, that they are good and suitable for their purpose ; that they comprehend a correct statement of the doctrines of Christianity ; that they are so admirably constructed, as to bring before the religious public of every Congrega- tion in the course of each year the substance of Bible history, precept, piety, doctrine, and prophecy, together with profitable allusions to the most eminent saints of all ages, challenging a sympathy with all those, who have 10* 114 REASONS feared God from the beginning of the world ; — if I find Jesus Christ in his history, in his work, in his hfe and doctrine, in his death and resurrection, and in all his offices, prominent and supreme, interwoven throughout, and everywhere exhibited in the services of every day and of every occasion, in some forms and features of his adorable character and appropriate offices ; — these and such like reasons, which might be greatly extended, even beyond these specifications, ought, as I think must be conceded by all considerate minds, to command my re- spect and high estimation of a work, which has been the product of the combined wisdom, of the experience, and of the piety of so many ages of the Church of God, from the Apostles downward, comprehending a period of fif- teen centuries. No matter what has been the history of this book — I had almost said, no matter where it came from — if I judge it by its merits, it is to say the least an admirable production. It is a production, which commends itself to every Christian's mind and feelings, the prejudices of his education out of the way. It is a production, which by becoming familiar with it, disarms prejudice, enlight- ens the mind, and wins the affections, if there be any- thing of religion there. It is a remarkable fact, that no religious and conscientious persons, however strong may have been their prejudices against the Episcopal forms of worship, have attended long upon them, without be- coming pleased, attached, partial to them ; and few, who have been brought up in that way — I have never known one — have forsaken it for othex modes of worship, except as providentially they have been drawn off by strong family ties, or other social connexions, or have been placed entirely beyond the reach of opportunities to en- joy their preferences. It satisfies the Christian, and an- swers all his spiritual purposes, in connexion with the Bible, on which it is based, to which it constantly refers, and nearly the whole of which it comprehends by allu- sion, or actual use. It offends not the taste of su- perior and the most cultivated minds, at the same time that it is adapted to the comprehension of the lowest and FOR EPISCOPACY. 115 most uncultivated. It is for the rich and llie poor, the high and the low, the ignorant and the learned. It is competent to enlighten all, to edify all, and guide all in the way to heaven. I know not, that there is anything in it detrimental to truth, or piety ; but am disposed to re- gard all its tendencies as favourable to both. 1 have satisfied myself, that the prescribed ritual and Canons of the Episcopal Church of the United States afford full scope for the most ardent piety and for enlightened zeal, equally and alike in private Christians and Ministers ; and that, conforming and living up to them will qualify any and all persons for the greatest possible usefulness, as Christians, in the present state of society and of the world. That they cannot be improved, I do not say. But the many ages and centuries, which have been re- quired for this production, may serve to show, first, that it is worthy of some respect on that account ; and next, that if at this moment it were wanting, it could not be easily produced again. And all experience proves, that attempts for improvement in such a ritual, to be prudent and safe, must be slow and well advised. Doubtless there will be improvements, I know not when, nor do I at present deem myself qualified to prescribe in what particular parts and forms improvement is most desirable. On this point I have little, or no anxiety, being satisfied, that it is the best Christian ritual in existence ; that it is equal to present demands ; and that the proper authori- ties, at a suitable time, will in their wisdom and best dis- cretion do all of this kind, that may be needed, and wliich future developments of Providence may suggest. But, it seems necessary, in answering the purposes of this discussion, that I should return to a radical point, viz. Is any prescribed form of worship suitable and best ? That there must be a. form, when worship is social and in any degree public, need not be said. I mean of course, when such worship is conducted by one person, or by official characters in their place ; and when it is addressed to the ear. Though the language be entirely extempo- raneous, it is still a. form. Even with those who refuse 116 REASONS a prescribed form of language, there is always, at least with few exceptions, a prescribed form of order. It is determined by custom, if by no other authority, how many psalms and hymns, how many sermons or addresses there shall be ; and in what order, or relation to each other, they shall come in. So much is prescribed by general agreement, with few exceptions. With the Quakers, (Friends) I am aware it is not so, because they pro- fess to be " moved by the Spirit," which is not uniform, whatever that spirit may be. If we were to concede this claim, we should of course give up all prescribed form. But in this particular the Quakers are alone, and ray ar- gument is not with them, but with those, who do actu- ally adopt a prescribed form in a degree ; so that the question is one of measure, and not of principle. It will be found upon investigation, that prescribed form is carried further, by those who profess to reject it altogether, than merely to determine the order of the ex- ercises. Reading of the Scriptures, and the psalms and hymns are obviously prescribed by custom. With few exceptions and with little variation the public prayers, if not prescribed, are set forms — commonplace thoughts and phrases, appropriated to that office. Most ministers, who are supposed to pray extemporaneously, run through an accustomed, and to their hearers, a well recognised round of thought, from which they seldom depart, week after week, and year after year. Some of them cannot vary from their set phrases. I knew a clergyman, who, when it was proposed to offer a special prayer, in conse- quence of the place in which they were assembled being struck by lightning, and two persons killed, went through his usual /orm without even alluding to the mournful oc- casion ! It may be true, that ministers highly gifted in extem- poraneous speech, may appear to be less confined to specific forms ; but if their prayers are rich and various, a peep into their drawers will ordinarily discover, that this gift is an acquisition, not an endowment ; and that this rich variety is the result of untiring pains to commit to writing and to memory, in the same manner as the FOR EPISCOPACY. ■ XPf best extemporaneous preachers — called extemporaneoiig — produce their sermons. Their prayers are forms out of sight ; but they are no less forms. However, these are manifestly exceptions to the general rule. Minis- ters, as a body, cannot endure that amount of application to study, which is indispensable to this rich variety in prayers and in sermons. If prayers are studied, ser- mons will be neglected ; or if supreme attention is given to sermons, the prayers will not only be formal, but mea- ger. Doubtless, in nine parts often, both in number and quantity, these extemporaneous prayers, so called, are mere forms ; and this assertion will easily be believed, because everybody recognises the fact. The forms most common, stale, low — having all the vices of form, with- out the purity of a prescribed and authorized ritual — are stereotyped in the public mind — in the mind of the leader and of those who are led. Turn which way we will, therefore, we are doomed to form — and a set form. Shall I say — blessed with it 1 And the only question is — whether we shall have a good or a bad one ; whether it shall be well provided, uniform, and authorized ; or whether, for the sake of now and. then a rich treat, served out to a very few, the public generally shall be obliged to listen either to com- monplace, crude, undigested forms, recognised by every- body from their earliest years ; or to bold and startling novelties ; and both, perhaps, for a great portion, offensive to good taste in the choice of language 1 Yes, in many cases, absolutely vulgar, tending to excite a very uncom- fortable state of feeling, instead of promoting edification — becoming a mere matter of endurance on account of vices of this description. From form we cannot escape ; that is settled by universal experience. The Presby- terian, the Congregationalist, the Methodist, the Baptist — all have their forms — their set forms : the Scriptures, if read, are a form ; the hymns are a form ; and as it turns out, the prayers are a form. It is form from begin- ning to end — in the order and in the matter — except, perhaps, as recently and to a wide extent bold attempts have been made to break down all order and all form by 118 HEASONS the habitual introduction and rapid succession of startUng and shocking novelties. These unprecedented innova- tions, instead of showing how good it is to be without form and without order, are fast bringing the minds of the public to their senses, and convincing them, if they were never convinced before, that some prescribed order and form are indispensable, not only to protect us from such innovations, but for comfort and edification. The extravagance and wildness of fanaticism have overrun the country ; and the danger is, that the reaction, which is the unavoidable result of such a morbid excitement, will be a settling down of some into indifference tow^ards religion ; of others, into disrespect and disgust ; and of many, into infidelity. Happy, indeed, if the net of the Episcopal church should catch and save them ; and to some extent no doubt it will. All these events will con- tribute providentially more than anything else (thanks to God, who can bring good out of evil) to show the value of such a church — to illustrate its purity, the correctness of its doctrine, the stability secured by the happy combi- nation of its elementary principles ; and above all, the benefit, the importance, the indispensableness of its forms and modes of worship in comparison with others. These unhappy occurrences will open the eyes of the people — of those who are not already borne away on the torrent and lost in the abyss. They will see that they have been deceived, innocently, perhaps, but yet deceived. For twenty years I myself have been de- ceived — willingly, I confess, under the influence of edu- cation, habit, and my religious connexions ; and it was these very events, in connexion with the opposite ex- treme of compelling religious belief — the one throwing order into confusion, and the other generating bitter and endless strife — which opened my eyes, and brought me to a pause. I turned, and looked, and asked, where is a remedy for these evils 1 To oppose the wild career of extravagance on the one hand, was useless ; and all the attempts to allay the bitterness and asperity of strife on the other, had proved before the world only the putting of oil upon fire. Happy for me, there was FOR EPISCOPACY. ' 119 — happy for the community, there is — a medium be- tween these extremes. Providence has brought in a remedy — not an extemporaneous one, but one of long standing and thorough proof; not an experiment, but a system, which has been the protection of the church through ages of conflict and seas of trouble ; which has redeemed her, when plunged into idolatry and over- whelmed with superstition ; which has rescued her from secular hands and secular control, when kings and civil magistrates have taken and emj)loyed her institutions and her priesthood for political ends ; and which appears at last in the Episcopal church of the United States, uii- tramelled by political bands, conscientiously eschewing all such connexion, aloof from the odium theologicum on the one hand, and from the raging fires of fanaticism on the other — pursuing a straightforward, dignified, inde- pendent, harmonious career, respecting herself and com- manding the respect of the world. And not only will it be seen, that we have been de- ceived, but injured by having been defrauded of the greater good. To escape from set forms and modes of worship is impossible, except upon the Quaker principle. Everywhere else they prevail ; and even there, as the necessities of our nature and as the secret history of their doings, occasionally betrayed, abundantly show, they are not able to go on entirely " by the Spirit," They have their appointed or authorized speakers, who pursue their accustomed round ; and unless they are severe students, the circle in which they move wall be a small one, and sufficiently obvious to those, who habitually attend upon their ministry. If, therefore, set forms of pubhc wor- ship are an evil, we have before us, as was observed in regard to Episcopacy in the former chapter on the same supposition, only the choice of evils : shall these forms be left afloat and loose in the public mind, to be appro- p.iated in such manner and quantity as may suit the feelings and discretion of the officiating minister for the time being, the congregation relying solely upon the ear for what he may please to dispense to them ; or shall they be reduced to written and prescribed forms, that all 120 REASONS may have them in hand, all see, and all be prepared to join in them, if they please, because they know what is coming 1 Shall they be carefully and prudently provided, under the wisdom, piety, and best discretion of consti- tuted authorities, and collected from such sources as the purest and best devotional writings and manuals, produced by Apostles, saints, and Martyrs, from the day of Pentecost to this time ; or shall we be doomed to the far more defective, the much more exceptionable, and the sometimes crude, offensive, startling, and shocking forms, entailed upon us by loose, unauthorized customs, and doled out in such measure and parts, as may be convenient to the memory, or as may suit the feelings and taste of the minister for the time being ? Let us consider separately some of the most common objections to a prescribed form, such as is used in the Episcopal church. 1. It is a Roman liturgy. This reason may have force in company with prejudice ; not, I think, anywhere else. It has been already fully answered in the previous chapter on Episcopacy, by the suggestion, that the ob- jection bears with equal sway against the Bible — against Christianity, &c. If the liturgy, as abridged and ex- purgated from Roman corruptions, is sound in doctrine and good for practical purposes, that is enough — that is all that needs to be claimed for it. No matter where it came from. Besides, though it may have come down through that medium, it is not of course the worse, or less worthy of our respect, in all that is acknowledged and subscribed to by Protestant American Episcopahans. Some of the purest, most exemplary, and most talented Christian ministers that the world has ever seen, the Apostles excepted, have belonged to the Romish commu- nion in their purer days ; and even since that church began to be corrupted. That there are g'^od men and Christians among the members of the Roman church, in the ranks of the clergy, as well as of the laity, even at this day, no charitable person could reasonably doubt. I have heard an American clergyman, who has been at Rome, say, that one of the present college of Cardinals FOR EPISCOPACY. 121 is considered by all Protestants, who visit that city, as a man who, for the purity of liis character, his Christian zeal, and for his abundant labours, is worthy of the highest respect, lie has preached the Gospel in every village and hamlet of Italy, and is especially noted for his evangelical labours among the poor. For us to say, If he is a good man, he would have proved it by renouncing popery, is a position, which we cannot char- itably maintain. He stands in his own light, and we in ours ; we are not authorized to judge him, neither is he competent to judge us. Every Christian's conscience is influenced by the history of his life. " To his own Master he standeth or falleth." Moreover, our liturgy is not in fact a production of the church of Rome ; but in all that is of original and unin- spired composition, in its collects, and in the general and substantial structure thereof, it may fairly be accept- ed, partly by presumption from a consideration of its intrinsic and obvious merits, where positive testimony of the origin of particular parts is wanting, and partly by historical evidence, as having emanated from the hands of the most eminent Christians of all ages, back to the Apostles ; and is actually connected with them. All the devotional parts of the liturgy will satisfactorily demon- strate this, even though we lay aside the consideration of the notable fact, that no devotional compositions of our own day ever obtain a general acceptance, except they are from the hand of the most pious, godly, heav- enly-minded men. There is nothing in the history of the church of Rome to show, positively or presumptively, that her ritual, in any of the parts received by Protest- ants, had been corrupted. Besides the general excel- lence of the liturgical compositions, as approved by the conscience, and by the most devout and heavenly affec- tions of the universal church, every true Christian must feel, that the service called the Litany is a very ecstasy of devotion, and that none can attain to the purity and height of its holy and heavenly breathings, without feel- ing that he is above the world and near to heaven. All persons accustomed to the liturgy must have felt the 11 F 122 REASONS power of that part of it. To such, the Litany will need no commendation from me. The like was never written by the hand of uninspired man. It seems inspired — and inspired in the highest degree. I verily believe it is so ; not indeed as clauning our respect as a part of the sacred canon — but as having been drawn by the hands of men, who stood and felt themselves to be standing in and breathing the holiest atmosphere that is possible on earth — in the presence and at the footstool of the Eternal Three in One — at the foot of the Cross — sympathizmg with God and with the dependance and wants of our race — breathing out the holiest, most importunate prayer after God and for redemption from sin. It seems as if they stood at the last stage between earth and heaven, about to enter heaven, but unwillmg to go there, till they had used their last opportunity of prayer, and poured out before the throne of God and the Cross of a dying Sav- iour their effectual intercessions for all whom they were leaving behind. Let any Christian read that portion of the Liturgy, and he will confess, that this v'hich I have said of it is not praise, but a simple statement of its merits. In short, it is evident, that this manual of pubhc and private devotion, in all that is uninspired, and in its gen- eral plan and structure, is the joint product of the most orthodox and the holiest of men. Say, that it has been in use in the Roman Church ; say, even — though that does not appear — that it was principally produced in that Church ; I see not, I feel not, that it can be the worse for that. Nay, as we are certified, that some of the most eminent Christians that have lived since the days of the Apostles have been found in that connexion, and as we have satisfactory evidence, that such characters, running back through all ages of the church, must have had the charge of this production, it comes to us under the highest sanctions of uninspired authority. It is in fact a joint work of the wisest and best men, that have been found scattered along through the entire range of the Christian Era to the sixteenth century. But the work, after all, speaks for itself, and by whomsoever FOR EPISCOPACY. 123 used, is sure to make impressions of its own holy char- acter. I have never yet seen the Christian, or the man, who could open his mouth against it, on the ground of its intrinsic merits. It is admitted to comprehend every subject of prayer, and the wide scope of Scripture his- tory, devotion, doctrine, and precept. 2. The prescribed service of the Episcopal Church is objected to as an irksome repetition, and therefore un- profitable. Tiiat the pubhc services, under the head of Morning and Evening prayers, are the same throughout the year, is true ; and I have shown, that the public prayers of other denominations, who reject these and all prescribed forms, are notwithstanding for the most part set forms ; and it is equally true, that they are in gene- ral nearly a repetition. The difference in this particular is too trifling to be made of any account, especially when balanced against other considerations, which will gener- ally be allowed to operate in favour of the Episcopal service and against these. For example : The prayers of the Episcopal Church are short, having intervals oc- cupied by the choir and by reading of the Scriptures. This gives variety and relieves from irksomeness. The language also is pure and comprehensive, and equally adapted to all minds. Whereas, in the other case, the principal prayer is long — often uncommonly so. Not unfrequently it occupies a half hour, till everybody is tired. Besides, the language often offends good taste ; the subjects are sometimes treated awkwardly, so as to give pain, instead of promoting edification ; topics are occasionally touched in a manner very objectionable ; and the minds of a large portion of the congregation are unavoidably occupied in criticism, rather than joining in worship. But those who habitually attend on the Epis- copal service have no room for criticism, and no provo- cation. If they are pious and devout, the prescribed form, so far as it occurs as a repetition, is a help to their devotions. Repetition there must be in all modes of worship ; it is unavoidable. And when it must occur, it is desirable, that it should be brief, comprehensive, > f2 124 REASONS and pure, as in the prayers of the Episcopal Church. For those who are not pious, and consequently not ab- sorbed in devotion, I believe, as a general fact, that the Episcopal service is less irksome and more agreea- ble. The frequent change and great variety are an ob- vious reason why it should be so. Besides, it should be recollected, that much the greater part of the services appointed for every day, and for every morning and evening, including the collects and Scriptures, are not a repetition except once a year — leaving out of view the part sustained by the choir, and even that has more or less variety in it. With the exception of a few short prayers ofiered up at intervals between other parts, the services of the Episcopal Church actually have less repetition and a greater variety, than those of any other Protestant Church. And it cannot be denied, that they are all in the highest degree Scriptural, and eminently calculated to assist devotion, 3. But there is too much getting up and sitting down, too frequent change of posture and of topic, too much interchange of different kinds of service, &c. Doubtless it does seem so to those who are not accus- tomed to it, and who are more used to services like the Presbyterian. But when this objection is proved exper- imentally, it not only vanishes, but the practices before esteemed faults are transformed into excellences. The whole system is found to accord with nature and with the spirit of closet devotion. It might be presumed, that such a ritual, the product of so many centuries of the Christian church, and of the most illustrious Saints adorn- ing her annals, who had to do with the formation of this work, was never composed and constructed but with all the lights and suggestions of experience. Follow the Christian to his closet, where is his Bi- ble, his prayer and hymn books, his various manuals of devotion. He kneels and invokes God, his Father, Re- deemer, and Sanctifier ; he reads a verse, or two, or more, or a chapter of the Bible, according as his feelings incline. If a sentiment of devotion springs up in his FOR EPISCOPACY. 125 heart at any moment or place of his reading or medita- tion, he instantly gives expression to it; if any desire, he offers it up in prayer ; if he feels any evil, he prays for deliverance ; if his kindness for others flows out, he prays for them ; — whatever emotion springs up in his bosom, he utters it, whether of sorrow for sin, of grati- tude for favours, of adoration, of intercession, or of praise. If one great feeling pervades his heart, he dwells upon it, and brings it out in various forms in his addresses to the Deity. In the course of half an hour he has per- haps looked many times into his Bible, hymn book, and other devotional helps that may lie before him, and at each interval poured out his various and rapidly suc- ceeding emotions and desires before the throne and mercy seat of God. He rises and walks his room, and kneels again ; he prays ; he sings, it may be ; he changes his subject, his book, his posture, and passes from one act of devotion to another, just as his feelings prompt him ; and his states of feeling are every moment chang- ing, as thoughts succeed each other. This is nature in such an occupation ; it is man acting out, without re- straint, his own character, as a religious being, in the cultivation of religious affections. And it is very likely he will offer the same petition, word for word, many times in succession, and at every time ending it with the usual doxology and Amen. He loves to say, " Through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ;" and to ascribe " praise to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." He loves to go over the same thmg again and again, where his affections for the moment are strongly fixed ; and he believes, that God, who is his father, is willing to hear. And he will perhaps return to the same topic many times in the same season of his retirement. Now let it be observed, that the entire system of the Episcopal ritual is based upon this principle — viz. on the natural and various promptings of religious affections in closet devotion, so far as it can be applied to public worship. There is this difference between the two : In his closet the Christian, being alone, follows the prompt- ings of his feelmgs ; whereas a public ritual should it- 11* 126 REASONS self be the prompter and the guide. In his closet the Christian is not called upon to have respect to others, but only to himself, in the course of his devotional exer- cises. But in public, where there are many minds and various states of feeling, the exercises of devotion should be so contrived, as to bring all these various minds, as far as possible, to the same state at the same time. In public, it is impossible, that a ritual of devo- tion should be conformed to the states of feehng in each individual ; its aim should rather be to prompt and control feehng, but not without regard to that variety, as well as repetition, which is the spontaneous growth of the closet. The closet is the model ; and the plan of public worship should be to come as near to it as possible. It is the natural flow and rapidly succeeding changes of the religious affections, which are to be re- garded in the formation of a public ritual. In this view it will be seen, that the Episcopal forms and modes of worship have been ordered in wisdom ; and that they demonstrate a consummate acquaintance with the human heart under the affections of religion. 4. But the common use of the ritual by all the peo- ple is a mere mockery, and sanctions hypocrisy ; it is well known, that there is no devotion in the hearts of a great portion of the congregation, and they know it them- selves ; and the practice, in connexion with this con- sciousness, is in great danger of making them mere form- alists for life ; and consequently it is perilous to their souls. In the early part of my residence in London I was in- vited to go and hear a preacher, who had the reputation of being a representative of American theology, or of a particular species of Theology, supposed to be exten- sively prevalent here, and which, it was imagined, might be agreeable to me. It was curious enough, that the whole argument of the sermon went to prove, that every prayer and every religious act of an unconverted sinner is not only displeasing, but in the highest degree dis- pleasing to God. No matter how sincere the shiner may imagine himself to be, yet in fact there is no sincerity ; FOR EPISCOPACY. 127 no matter how anxious he may be about his own salva- tion, even though his tears How hke a river, and he can have no rest, the greater his anxiety and the more he does on that account in the study of the Scriptures and in seeking God by prayer, the greater is his sm, till he has a new heart ! It was fair to infer from all that was said in this argument, though it would have been too shocking if the preacher had brought it out, that cursing and blas- phemy would be more innocent, than these religious acts in such a case ! I said to the gentleman, who had invited and accom- panied me, as we were going home, I could not, in conscience, deny, that such doctrine had prevailed to some extent in America ; but that, in justice to the coun- try, I must declare the imputation, if intended to charac- terize American preaching in general, a libel. That any persons sliould fail to enter into the spirit of the forms of public worship, on which they are accus- tomed to attend, is certainly to be regretted ; but I am not aware, that this is a sin peculiar to Episcopal- ians. It may possibly be more visible among them ; but in all honesty I do not think it is more prevalent. What is the appearance of any person in a rehgious congrega- tion, but an ostensible profession of worship 1 The reigning public conscience of the community is in favour of religion ; and the ordinances of public worship are God's appointed means, not only of edification to Chris- tians, but of bringing unconverted men — sinners, who in their conscience respect religion — home to himself. For the most part, those who use the solemn, and as it must be confessed by all, the appropriate ritual of the Episco- pal Church, may charitably be supposed to have a respect for its doctrine and sentiments ; and in the exercise of the same charity, it may also be presumed, that their conscience goes with the service. On the last point, there is in most cases no doubt. There is just as much reason for the Ministry of fli* Church to call on all the people to engage and take jiai in the public services of the Sanctuary, as for the Chris- tian father and head of a family to call around the altar 1 28 REASONS of his household his children and domestics, and exhort them to join in the acts of devotion, whatever be their form, in which he leads. Both institutions are suitable and good, and have the same general design ; and all the objections, which can be brought against one, he with equal force against the other. It may be hoped, that he who can be induced to join formally and habitually in acts of social and public worship, will also by that very means, under the bles&ing of God, be brought to a participation in the grace and spirit of that worship. Certainly it must be granted, that it is more hopeful and better to do it, than not to do it. I think, indeed, it may be satisfacto- rily shown, that a formal and actual participation in the ordinary uses of the public ritual of the Episcopal Church, other things being equal, is more likely to issue in a cordial acquiescence in the requirements of the Gos- pel, than the passive arid taciturn habit of the Presbyterian and some other denominations. The mere suggestion of this idea, I am disposed to beheve, will generally be convincing. This suggestion is the more forcible, when we consider, that the temper of the age and of the public mind is favourable to the possession and exemplification of the graces of practical piety in all their legitimate bearings — which is an undoubted fact. 5. The audible responses of the congregation are ob- jected to as improper, unprofitable, and tending to confu- sion. As to the charge of confusion, inasmuch as it is an appointed order, well understood, conformed to without difficulty in the manner intended, and to those concerned is in no sense confusion, it requires no reply. That it is improper, if it suits the feelings of the denomination, I cannot see, or feel. In all ages religious congregations have been accustomed to make responses to official per- formances, in one form or another ; So did the Hebrews ; so do the Jews still ; and so have Christians from the beginning, with the exception of some Protestant sects, who have probably laid aside this practice, rather for the sake of setting up a difference under the name of an im- provement^ than iox any good reasons, as is the fact in FOR EPISCOPACY. IW some other changes. I think it cannot fiiirly be made a question of propriety, but of taste and habit ; and may therefore be lawful with those who hke it. As to its profitableness, it may be remarked, that it is not only an ostensible, and with true worshippers, a real expression of sympathy, but it is calculated to give greater effect to the power of sympathy, and to kindle livelier sentiments of devotion in the hearts of those who engage in these offices. What Christian does not know by experience the difference in the state and activity of his religious feelings, while engaged in the duties of the closet, when in one case his devotions are only mental, and in the other he gives them an audible expression ! The mere sound of his own voice on his own ear, in the utterance of his emotions, and the effect of natural and appropriate intonations, give a new character and an in- creased ardour and vigour to those sentiments. It is hardly possible for him to realize the full benefit of pri- vate devotions, when deprived of this privilege. It is in truth and in all experience the most indispensable and most active means of kindling devotion to its purest and most glowing fires. And if such be the effect in the closet, how much more in the public congregation, where the mysterious and amazing power of sympathy comes in to give charac- ter and intensity to the devotions of the house of God 1 Such beyond all question is the natural tendency, and such the design of this practice. It is intended, more- over, that every one present should feel that he is a wor- shipper, and that he should sustain his own part. It makes all participants in concert, besides, that it gives to each, even in this public place, the additional privilege of the closet. While he reads and prays and sings in com- pany with those ai-ound him, enjoying and communicating the power of sympathy, he also reads and prays and sings, as one alone in the presence of God, and in his earthly sanctuary. There is, perhaps, no feature of the Episcopal ritual, that is founded more in nature — that is better adapted to man as he is — and of course, none more demonstrative of wisdom, and of experience in the char- F 3 130 . REASONS !•- acter and operations of piety, as well as in the means of assisting and promoting it. It is true, this privilege may- be abused ; so may anything else. It may fail of its in- tended effect over undevout minds ; and so may any other and whatever means. 6. But with all these advantages, Episcopalians have no religion ; they are mere formalists. Alas ! I am ashamed ! It is pleasant, however, to observe, that an answer to the prayer incorporated in the Litany of the Episcopal ritual — " from all unchar- itableness, good Lord, deliver us" — is beginning to a great extent to be realized, as an apparent result of this, or of some other influence. It is certainly true, that the different denominations of Christians are more charitable and more kind towards each other now, than they were an age ago. There is, however, one remarkable exception to this, in which the reverse is equally and painfully true. I do not mean in the case of an entire denomina- tion, but of a large class of Christians and Christian min- isters in our country, who have allowed themselves to be driven to extremes on several important subjects, ap- pertaining to existing interests of society. In view of this exception and its converse, it is strikingly true, that we live in the most charitable and most uncharitable age. The majority of Christians are accustomed to manifest great kindness towards those, who happen to differ from them in some peculiarities of their several denomina- tions ; at the same time there is abroad in the land a large class of the severest and most uncompromising de- nunciators of those, who do not fall in with their extrava- gant ultraisms. This spirit, however, is the natural fruit of ultra doctrines and an ultra position. The doc- trine and the position beget the spirit ; and the spirit is no less a sure indication of the position and the doctrine. The spirit is the flag — the standard thrown out in the wind, flapping and snapping in the ears of the public. It does not become me to volunteer, as the defender of the piety of the Episcopal church. I may say, how- ever, in all good conscience, that I have always blushed at the charge now under consideration, whenever it has FOR EPISCOPACY. I3f saluted my ears, as unbecoming and injurious. Of my Presbyterian and Congregational brethren, both ministers and laymen, as a body, J may say with all sincerity, and am bound in honesty to say — that I respect and love them for the decided, hopeful, and interesting cxem})lifi- cations of Christian piety and zeal, which I have long witnessed in their ranks. I believe — I am bound to tes- tify — that their Christian character, in matters most im- portant and hopeful of good to our country and to the world, has greatly improved within the limits of my inti- macy and fellowship among them. Without pretending to assume any definite point, or presuming to make invidious comparisons, I think I may also say, supported by the common opinion of the religious public, that no Christian denomination in our land has improved more in the same time, as to their piety and efficiency, than the Episcopalians. And over most of the others they have one groat advantage : they are harmonious. It was impossible for me not to observe, during a month's residence in Philadelphia, last autumn, the prosperous and happy state of religion in the Epis- copal churches of that city, as compared with the per- nicious effects of public religious controversy, so obvious, in the Presbyterian churches of the same city. Inde- pendent of my own impressions, a friend called my atten- tion one day to a letter he had been writing, declarative of the same prominent fact, as the result of his own ob- servations. The American Episcopal church seems of late years to have risen to a sense of her responsibilities : she has established theological seminaries ; is calling out and training young men to increase the ranks of her ministry ; she has entered into the spirit of missions^ domestic and foreign ; and God hath blessed her abun- dantly within her own pale, in fulfilment of his own engagement, " that he who w^atereth shall himself be watered." 7. The numerous holy days and saint's days, appointed or recommended to be observed, in the Episcopal hturgy, are objected to as relics of the Romish superstitions. As a theory, independent of these fragments of history, 132 REASONS it would seem very suitable, that the most remarkable events of our Saviour's earthly abode, from his nativity to his ascension, should be, in some form and by special ordinances, commemorated. Whether the very week of the year, or day of the month, can be precisely deter- mined, is not of material importance, if Christians can be agreed on any assumed dates for the respective events. Jt must be evident, that such observances are calculated to fix and preserve in the public mind the remembrances suggested by them ; and to do it more effectually, than could be realized in the want of them, in the same man- ner as our Fourth of July keeps alive the recollection and sentiments proper to be cherished in relation to that eventful period of our history ; in the same manner as the 22d of February reminds us of the Father of our Country ; and in the same manner as the annual cele- bration of any remarkable event or epoch, distinguished in history for good or evil to mankind generally, or to any community, may serve to inspire with gratitude, hope, and courage, if the event was a blessing, or with admo- nition and caution, if it was an evil. And what harm in setting up like perpetual memo- rials, if there is room for them, to such names as the most distinguished of the Apostles, Evangelists, Chris- tian martyrs of the earlier and later ages, and of the most eminent saints, that belong to past history ? Is not their history inspiring and profitable to contemplate 1 Is it proper — is it well to let their names, their example, and their virtues go into oblivion 1 Can it be honestly averred, independent of the supposed origin and mediate descent of some of these appointments, that the use made of them in the Episcopal church, is likely to have, or does have any bad effect 1 Viewed as a theory, the ob- jection falls ; and I am not aware that the practice is found to be vicious in its tendency. Every question of this kind, to be determined fairly, must be decided on the simple ground of its own merits, apart from the influence of prejudice. But who are they that make this objection ? I will sup- pose, for example, that they are Presbyterians and Con- FOR EPISCOPACY. 133 gregationalists. Well, let us try them by their own rule : It is a singular fact, that within the limits of about twenty years, and for the most part in much less time than that, a calender of stated religious occasions, or holy days, has been made up, adopted, and gone into general use throughout these two denominations, much more crowd- ed, as I am inclined to believe — though I have not taken the trouble of counting the lists in the two cases for com- parison — than the corresponding calender of holy days, adopted and recommended by the Episcopal Church, which have grown principally out of events scattered along the entire line of eighteen centuries. And in ad- dition to these, there are constantly occurring numerous special and extemporaneous appointments, which, in their number, added to the amount of time allotted to their observance, probably exceed the calender of stated occasions of the same class. There is a monthly Con- cert,* (of prayer) so called, at least for every week in the year, and I beheve somewhat in excess of this, assigned each to its specific object, as for example, to Christian missions generally — which I believe is the primitive institution of the kind ; to the Sabbath school enterprise ; to the Tract cause and efforts ; to the cause of Sailors ; to the Temperance reformation ; to abolition of Slavery ; to Christian mothers' associations — which in many cases is w-eekly ; to Revivals of religion ; and to numerous other specific occasions, already gone into ex- tensive, and many of them into general observance. I sup- pose it would be moderate to state the monthly Concerts, which are very generally observed, at seventy-five a year. There is a large class of other stated and extempora- neous religious occasions, obtaining and receiving a great share of the attention of the religious public of these two denominations, amounting in all, I should think, if we include the entire hst of every sort above specified, to not less than tivo hundred a year, inde- pendent of the Sabbath. Of course I do not mean, that * The English Christians object to this name, concert, because it unfortunately suggests among them a kind of theatrical exhibition of music. But the same reason does not have equal force with us. 12 134 REASONS i , each of these has got into general use ; but probably not less than owe hundred and fifty of them are very v/idely observed, and that too by the same mdividuals. This surprising list of religious occasions, or holy days, stated and special, has all grown up within about twenty years. The original monthly Concert, on the subject of general missions, has long since attained to a very sacred estimation ; and so in its train have several others of the same class, though falling somewhat be- hind, as regards the interest felt in them. There are several annual Concerts, to which very great import- ance is attached, as the first Monday in the year, for the world ; a day in February, for colleges ; another for the cause of Temperance ; and some others, the specific design of which I am not possessed of. Of course I do not refer to these appointments to object to them. Many of them I have long sympathized with, and observed religiously for the design of their in- stitution. My only object is to bring them up in array before those, who are supposed to object to the compara- tive paucity of stated religious observances, or holy days, which are to be found in the religious calender of the Episcopal church, that it may be seen, which party in fact has the most, the complainants or the accused. It may not be improper, however — it may be instruct- ive — to inquire for the moving springs of these recent and numerous appointments for the religious public of our country. As a general fact, the public, as a body, have never been consulted ; and it is equally true, for the most part, that ecclesiastical authorities have not been prime movers in this business ; but nearly all of them have origin&ted in the minds of individuals, or in a small cir- cle of individuals. Favoured by the spirit of the times, and by the prevailing appetite for the multiplication of appointments of this kind, it has only been necessary to propound, no matter from what quarter or by whom, and to begin a new one ; and almost immediately it has beea taken up, and gone into a more or less general observ- ance. I do not pretend to say, that these conventional airangements are worthy of less respect on that account; FOR EPISCOPACY. 135 or that they are less important, or less useful ; but the fact undoubtedly is, that the public generally have not been consulted in their introduction ; that ecclesiastical authorities, and other highly inlluential religious associ- ations Ixave rarely been consulted, till after these ap- pointments have originated, and been forced upon them ; but they have generally emanated from such obscure sources, that it would be very ditJMcult to trace any con- siderable number to their moving cause. That a reasona.ble number of these appointments may be useful, 1 think, will hardly be doubted by Christians ; and that the public have been drawn into an excess of such observances, I think, is no less true. To show how easy it has been to originate them, I shall take the liberty to state, that one of the most interesting, and as I think decidedly one of the most worthy of all — 1 mean tlie first Monday of the year, which is observed as a holy day throughout the United States, and extensively in Great Britain — was actually started and received its original impulse at the suggestion of a lady I She con- ceived it, proposed it, and had the personal influence to get it under way, until it has obtained the sanction and recommendation of the General Assembly of the Pres- byterian church; of how many and what other religious bodies of this country I do not know; of the wide Chris- tian public of Presbyterians and Congregationalists gen- erally; and of the Congregationalists in England through the recommendation of their General Union ! I believe this observance has obtained more attention, excited more interest, and is likely to do more good, than any other of the entire list. The first and only one I have had the opportunity of attending, since it was started, was the first Monday of the current year, 1836. And then I was engaged with a highly respected and esteemed pastor and his flock for five hours of the day in public — two hours and a half in the morning and two and a half in the afternoon ; and a very pleasant and profitable season it was. The interest of these uncommonly long services was well sustained by the superior tact of my clerical brother in the management of such a meeting. 136 REASONS The origin and progress of this religious day, from its beginning to its present date, as illustrative of the princi- ple, " Great effects from little causes," is a curious and instructive piece of history. It is substantially a type of most of the others, now under consideration, but more impressive than either. Nearly all of them have arisen in some such way, until the year has got to be literally crowded with them. It is instructive, as it shows under what influence our religious world has been brought : Few of the religious and benevolent movements of the day have originated in the high and supervising religious bodies, and thence spread themselves out over the masses of the community ; but they have more generally sprung up from sources so obscure, as not to be generally known, and risen and extended their influence into every region of society. So far as they are good, it is no matter where they came from, or who first proposed them ; but there is in fact more zeal than discretion in the quarters whence these emanations have burst forth upon the pub- lic, inasmuch as it seems to be imagined, that we can never have enough of a good thing. I am clearly of the opinion, that, in the present state of things, since these matters have got well agoing, it would be safe for the popular ranks and the ladies to resign a reasonable share of this influence to the clergy, and let those now lead and guide, who have heretofore been driven. I think, indeed, it would be a prudent and wise change. In the same manner as in a former chapter we have seen, that the operation of the principle of Episcopa- cy, without its proper form, carried into various high and influential religious organizations in our own country, has in fact assumed higher powers, and become far more en- ergetic, than Episcopacy proper — nay, has left genuine Episcopacy out of sight in this particular, and clothed it with comparative mildness, which, as has been shown, is its real character ; so also has the religious public of this country been recently so flooded with new religious ap- pointments, or holy days, stated and special, as perhaps to equal, and for aught I know, to overmatch the religious calender of the Church of Rome. Certainly, the orders FOR EPISCOPACY. 187 v,nd customs of the American Episcopal church in the appointment and observance of similar occasions, stand forth in the light of such comparison, as moderation it- self. It is these excessive, multitudinous, and often long protracted religious occasions, together with the spirit that is in them, which have been for some years breaking up and breaking down the clergy of this land. It has been breaking them up. It is commonly observed, that a new era has lately come over the Christian congregations of our country in regard to the permanence of the pastoral relation. Time was in the memory of those now living, when the settlement of a minister was considered of course a settlement for life. But now, as everybody knows, this state of things is entirely broken up ; and it is perhaps true, that on an average, the clergy of this country do not remain more than five years in the same place. And it is impossible they should in the present state of things. They could not stand it. So numerous are their engagements ; so full of anxiety is their condi- tion in a fevered state of the public mind, acting upon them from all directions ; so consuming are their labours, in the study and in public, pressed and urged upon them, by the demands of the time ; and withal so fickle has the popular mind become under a system, that is for ever de- manding some new and still more exciting measure — some new society — some new monthly or weekly meet- ing, which perhaps soon grows into a religious holyday — some special effort running through many days, sometimes lasting for weeks, calling for public labours of ministers, of the most exciting kind, throughout each day from the earliest hour of the morning to a late hour of night ; — for reasons and facts of tiiis kind so abundant, and now so obvious to the public, that they need only to be referred to to be seen and appreciated, it is impossible that minis- ters should remain long in the same place. Their men- tal and physical energies become exhausted, and they are compelled to change, first, because it is not in the power of man to satisfy the appetite for novelties, which is con- tinually and from all quarters making its insatiate de- 12* ISS tlfiASONS liiands upon them ; and next, that, if possible, they may purchase a breathing time, and a transient reUef from the overwhelming pressure of their cares and labours. But alas! there is no relief: They are not only broken up, but they find themselves fast breaking down. Wherever they go, there is the same demand for the same scene to be acted over. There is — there can be no stabihty in the pastoral relation in such a state of the public mind ; and what is still more melancholy and af- fecting, the pastors themselves cannot endure it — they cannot live. They are not only constantly fluctuating — literally afloat on the wide surface of the community — but their health is undermined — their spirits are sinking — and they are fast treading upon each other's heels to the grave, their only land of rest. Never since the days of the Apostles was a country blessed with so enlightened, pious, orthodox, faithful, willing clergy, as the United States of America at this moment ; and never did a ministry, so worthy of trust, have so little independence to act according to their con- science and best discretion. They are literally the vic- tims of a spiritual tyranny^ that has started up and burst upon the world in a new form — at least with an extent of sway, that has never been known. It is an influence, which comes up from the lowest conditions of life, which is vested in the most ignorant minds — and therefore the more unbending and uncontrollable. It is an influence, which has been fostered and blown into a wide spread flame, by a class of itinerating ministers, who have sud- denly started up and overrun the land, decrying and de- nouncing all that have not yielded at once to their sway — by direct and open efforts shaking and destroying pub- lic confidence in the settled and more permanent minis- try — leaving old paths and striking out new ones — de- molishing old systems and substituting others — and dis- turbing and deranging the whole order of society, as it had existed before. And it is to this new state of things, so harassing, so destructive to health and life, that the regular ministry of this country — the best qualified, most pious, most faithful, and in all respects the most worthy FOR EPISCOPACY. 139 Christian ministry, that the church has ever enjoyed in any age — are made the victims. They cannot resist it — they are overwh(dmed by it. Doubtless, there is a redeeming spirit in reserve ; I could not confide in Providence, if I did not beheve it. The clergy of this land are worth too much to be lost — to be sacrificed. 1 trust it will not be long before they will be able to assert their prerogatives, and recover their appropriate influence. Having disposed of the most common and popular ob- jections to the Liturgy and forms of the Episcopal Church, it may not be unsuitable to say a word or two on certain of its modes of worship, in contradistinction from those of others. Take for example the mode of kneeling and offering a silent prayer, which is prescribed to worshippers, as they enter and take their seats in the house of God. I say, kneeling — for that is the posture recommended, although many do it standing. How different this from that en- trance to these holy places and for these religious and solemn purposes, and from that taking up of position there, which carries in it no indication of the place or of the occasion, and which is common in its mode with that of any popular assembly coming together for secular or political purposes ! No matter what any person may say against this — no matter how much declamation may be exhausted to throw it into disesteem — no one can witness the scene without being impressed with its suitableness, without feeling its power. And see that man of God, ascending the reading desk or the pulpit, in his sacerdotal vestments, before the con- gregation: He kneels; he bends himself before God; he prays — but all in silence ! Who can see and not feel it 1 The kneeling of the minister and of the congrega- tion for the offering up of prayers, where they occur in the orders of the service ; the standing for singing, read- ing the Gospels, Creeds, and some other portions of the Liturgy ; the coming around and kneeling before the altar to receive the Communion ; the waiting and kneel- 140 REASONS ing for a silent prayer after the benediction has been pronounced ; — and various other modes, not indeed ex- clusively used by the Episcopal Church, but nearly all of which are wanting in most Presbyterian and Congregational Churches, are, as most persons will feel, altogether seemly and appropriate — suited to the house of God and the place of prayer. That prejudice against the excess of like ceremonies and the multitudi- nous genuflexions and crossings and flourishes of the pa- pal priests and worshippers, should have prevailed to banish all these decencies and proprieties from the place of Divine worship, is indeed to be regretted. It is, however, to be remarked, that the Christian pub- lic of this country are gradually returning to many of these practices ; and that the good sense and better taste of the people are prevailing over prejudice. It may be alarming to some, that Presbyterians should begin to build Gothic churches, and that the symbol of the Cross should now and then appear in or upon them ; that the loud and solemn organ is so often heard in their places of worship ; that their ministers, in increasing numbers, should be seen ascending the pulpit in gown and bands ; that the custom of kneeling in family and public worship should be so extensively introduced among them ; and that many of them should even be seen ofl^ering up a si- lent prayer, when they take their station in the house of God. But it proves, that for all the evils, with which the passion for religious novelties has flooded the land, there has come in their train this good : a great subdu- ing of unreasonable prejudice. The Episcopal Church of this country has been under a cloud ever since the revolution, w^hich procured our national independence ; and indeed, ever since it was transplanted from the parent stock ; but that cloud is be- ing rapidly dispersed. First, though there were some good and exemplary clergymen of the Church of Eng- land, who came over to Virginia, and who were found in that colony till the revolution, yet, as happens in all col- onies and new settlements, that are flooded with adven- turers of all classes, and sometimes not of the best, so FOR EPISCOPACY. 141 did it happen in the church of Virginia and in the sister church of the colony of Lord Baltimore, that the clergy were not in all respects such as they ought to be ; and at last, when the Church of England was prostrated in Virginia by the revolution, her property confiscated, and her ministry broken up and many of them banished by the necessities of their condition, the wreck left be- hmd a scene of desolation, which half a century has scarcely repaired.* From that period the American Episcopal Church has been doomed to encounter popular prejudice more than any other, prmcipally on account of the known vices of the parent church, resulting from her connexion with the state. The descendants of the Pu- ritans, who for the most part have occupied New-Eng- land, have from the beginning felt and cherished more or less aversion to Episcopacy and to all that appertained to it, as might have been expected from the sufferings and sacrifices experienced by their fathers in the days of the intolerant prelacy of England. Every church that abuses its power and influence, will sooner or later reap what she has sown, and be doomed by Providence to work out an atonement before the world for her public faults. The great law of " visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children" applies here as elsewhere ; and the American Episcopal Church for half a century and more has been suffering the award of this principle of God's providential government. But the days of her atone- ment, of her depression, and of her mourning are ended ; and now a voice seems to be caUing to her out of heaven : " Arise ; shine ; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." She has risen ; the church of Virginia, which suffered most, has been thoroughly redeemed. Throughout the land the Episcopal Church has greatly improved ; she has established a polity and government corresponding with the civil and social condition of the country ; from past and sad experience, she revolts from all thoughts of alliance with the state ; she thoroughly eschews all meddling with * See the History of the Ciiurch in Virginia, by the Rev. Dr. Hawks. 142 REASONS politics ; and stands up before the public under constitu- tional and canon regulations, intelligible and most satis- factory to all reasonable minds ; and which must obviously- secure all popular rights, be safe for all, remove just grounds of complaint, inspire confidence, and command respect. I shall here take leave to conclude this chapter by the following statement of the merits of the Liturgy of the Church of England, from one of her reverend di- vines. Dr. Comber : — " Though all churches in the world have and ever have had forms of prayer ; yet none was ever blessed with so comprehensive, so exact, so inoffensive a com- posure, as ours ; and yet so plain, tha.t the most ignorant may pray w^th understanding ; so full, that nothing is omitted, which is fit to be asked in public, and so partic- ular that it compriseth most things which we would ask in private ; and yet so short, as not to tire any that hath true devotion. Its doctrine is pure and primitive ; its ceremonies so few and innocent, that most of the Chris- tian world agree in them. Its method is exact and nat* ural ; its language significant and perspicuous, most of the words and phrases being taken out of the Holy Scrip- tures, and the rest are the expressions of the first and the purest ages — so that whoever takes exception at these, must quarrel with the language of the Holy Ghost, and fall out with the church in her greatest innocence ; and in the opinion of the most im.partial and excellent Grotius — who was no member of, nor had any obligation to this church — ' The English Liturgy comes so near to the primitive pattern, that none of the reformed churches can compare with it.' "And if B.nything external be needful to recommend that which is so glorious ivithin^ we may add, that the compilers were most of them men of great piety and learning, and several of them either martyrs or confes- sors upon the restitution of Popery (in Queen Mary's reign), which (fact) as it declares their piety, so doth the judicious digesting of these prayers evidence their FOR EPISCOPACY. 143 learning. For therein a scholar may discern close logic, pleasing rhetoric, pure Divinity, and the very marrow of the ancient doctrine and discipline ; and yet all made so familiar, that the unlearned may say — Amen. " Lastly, all these excellences have obtained that uni- versal reputation which these prayers enjoy in all the Jvorld ; so that they are most deservedly admired by the Eastern churches, and had in great esteem by the most eminent Protestants beyond sea (on the Continent), who are the most impartial judges that can be desired. In short, this Liturgy is honoured by all but the Romanist, whose interest it opposeth, and the Dissenter, whose prejudices will not let them see its lustre.* Whence it is that they (Dissenters) call that, which Papists hate be- cause it is Protestant, superstitious and popish. But when we consider, that the best things in a bad world have the most enemies, as it doth not lessen its worth, so it must not abate our esteem, because it hath mahcious and misguided adversaries. " How endless it is to dispute with these, the little success of the best arguments, managed by the wisest men, do too sadly testify. Wherefore, we shall endeav- our to convince the enemies, by assisting the friends of our church devotions ; and by drawing the veil, which the ignorance and indevotion of some and the passion and prejudice of others have cast over them, represent tiie Liturgy in its true and native lustre, which is so lovely and ravishing, that like the purest beauties, it needs no supplement of art and dressing, but conquers by its own attractions, and wins the affections of all but * As this was written long ago, it does not now apply to Dissent- ers in England. Ha\ing been intimate with them while I was in that ' ount. y, 1 can say with pleasure, that I never discovered among dissentmg ministers and the most enlightened of their laity any de- gree of prejudice against the Liturgy, but rather a partiality in favour of it. Indeed, the entire Liturgy is actually used in a vast many dissenting chapels of London and over the kingdom. The whole of L.'idy Huntington's coimexion use it ; it is used in Whitfield's Chapels, at Tottenham Court Road, and at the Tabernacle, Moor- fields; and in many others that might be named. 1 am clearly of opinion, that there is little or no obstacle in the way of the return of the great majority of Dissenters to the bosom of the English church, except the union of church and state. 144 REASONS those who do not see it clearly. This will be sufficient to show, that whoever desires no more than to worship God with zeal and knowledge, spirit and truth, purity and sincerity, may do it by these devout forms. And to this end may the God of peace give us all meek hearts, quiet spirits, and devout affections ; free us from all sloth and prejudice, that we may have full churches, frequent prayers, and fervent charity ; that, uniting in our prayers here, we may all join in his praises hereafter, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." FOR EPISCOPACY. 143$ CHAPTER IV. Consideration of the Claims of Episcopacy. I HAVE hitherto left untouched this question, which is generally made first and principal in public discussions — I dislike the word controversy — between Episcopalians and those who differ from them — 1 have an equal aversion to the word opponents. Both these terms, which I thor- oughly eschew, are bad in the religious world, or any- where else. The bare use of them tends to conjure up the very spirit, wliich they involve and represent. I am clearly of opinion, not only, that we have come to a time and to a state of society, when the public will refuse to tolerate the sharpness of religious controversy, and the bitterness of rehgious opponents, when indulged in after the manner and to the extent that have characterized so many ages, and from which I would fain hope the pres- ent age is being redeemed, first by a general aversion in the moral sense of the community, and next through the influence of Christian courtesy and of more bland reli- gious affections ; — but I believe also, that all differences in religion, whether they relate to doctrine, or practice, or ecclesiastical polity, may be discussed in perfect good temper, so as not to disturb personal feeling, or public tranquillity. I believe, moreover, that such discussion is both necessary and good, so long as those who differ from us are treated with a kindness and respect, which would entitle us to meet them as personal friends, if oth- erwise convenient ; and which could never create in our bosoms a conscience to make us reluctant to meet them, or in any degree to diminish or mar the cheerfulness of our intercourse. The fact, that differences as to the doctrine and general economy of Christianity are more or less prevalent, even among those who are worthy of 13 G 146 REASONS the greatest respect for their piety, their learning, and Christian zeal, is proof, that truth on these points is not yet so clearly and fully developed, as to supercede the necessity of discussion. There is nothing required to render it salutary and useful, but a suitable exemplifica- tion of Christian courtesy and kindness in the manner of conducting it. No matter how much of the fortiter in re, if it be adequately tempered with the suaviter in modo. The former may give dignity and manliness to him who displays it, and augment the respect in which he shall be held by the public ; while the latter, infused throughout and pervading this adjunct quality, and imparting to it the charm of lovehness, will secure for him the favoura- ble regard and kind affections, even of those who main- tain an opposite opinion. As an interesting exemplification of this spirit, I may refer to the late public discussion of the claims of Epis- copacy between Bishop Onderdonk, of Philadelphia, and the Rev. Albert Barnes, of the same city. So entirely satisfied are Episcopalians with Mr. Barnes's spirit — and his known ability may vouch for the fact of his having made the best of the argument — that they have pubhshed the entire discussion on both sides, in connexion with some other papers, under the title of episcopa.cy ex- amined AND RE-EXAMINED, having issuod it from the Protestant Episcopal Press at New- York. This is as it should be ; it is pleasant — it is delightful to contem- plate. It shows in the first place, that Episcopalians are not unwilhng to have the best argument that can be made against them brought side by side with their own statements, to be laid before their own people, if it be done in good temper ; and next, that we have come to a state of society, when all religious diflferences may be managed in this way — when it may be done not only with impunity to personal and public feehng, but for the general interests of truth. But for all I have to say, or desire to say, on" the claims of Episcopacy, I beg leave to premise, that I do not purpose to undertake a task which has been so well and so thoroughly done by others — by those, who were FOR EPISCOPACY. 147 far better qualified, than I can pretend to be. It has long been a principle with me, that a writer is not wise in presuming to ckiim the attention of the public on an exhausted and threadbare topic, unless in some peculiar exigence of the times he may hope to be able to bring it out in some new light. The argument for the claims of Episcopacy has been so well done and is so complete, that it would be high presumption in me to imagine, that I can add to its light or force. For common and popu- lar reading, I know not, that I can refer to anything more succinct, lucid, and satisfactory, than the work above mentioned, as embracing the discussion between Bishop Onderdonk and the Rev. Mr. Barnes. For the scholar and the more learned, who may wish and who have leisure to extend these investigations further, I may men- tion Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity, Potter on Church Government, Slater's Original Draft, Skinner on Episco- pacy, Works on Episcopacy, (the last being a collec- tion of tracts in two volumes.) But my own purpose in coming to this topic is to make a few general and comprehensive statements of certain prominent considerations and facts, which, I must con- fess, have had force in my own mind, and w^hich, per- haps, may have some weight with others. It will doubt- less be deemed proper — probably it will be expected — that in presenting to the public reasons for prefer- ring EPISCOPACY, in my circumstances, I should not altogether pass over this material point. But I hope I shall be excused — and I am inclined to think the patience of my readers will gladly excuse me — from undertaking to support in detail all those parts of the ar- gument, which some of these statements will necessarily indicate and involve. I propose rather to suggest, than to construct an argument ; rather to refer to consider- ations and facts, that have had an influence with me, than to array them in the order and form of a demonstration. The common reading on this subject is within everybody's reach, who may desire to examine it for himself The simple statement for the claims of Episcopacy is, G 2 148 REASONS first, that the Bible indicates and by fair inference au- thorizes and requires a ministry over the Christian church, which, in the structure of its economy, and in its design, shall involve and support in its purity the principle of Episcopacy, in some such definite form, as is generally maintained under this name ; and next, that the history of the church corroborates and establishes the same position. I have purposely left out of this statement the com- mon denominations of this ministry, for the purpose of coming at and exposi-ng the principle in its naked form. The moment we invest with an array of terms a princi- ple, which has been held by one party and rejected by another under these terms, we necessarily prejudice an argument with those, who have been always accustomed to look at it through the medium of this palpable form. I assume, that Christ intended office in the ministra- tions of his earthly kingdom. This will doubtless be granted by the majority of those who may differ from me, as to the character of that office — or of those offices. The idea of office is primary, radical, important — so im- portant that I cannot conceive it possible for the objects of this kingdom to be attained without it. I have already betrayed an opinion in another place, that office is the hinge of Christ's visible kingdom ; that the entire fabric hangs and turns upon it ; that it is through the ministry, and through them alone, that all the members have their visible connexion with the Head. But although so much as this may not be conceded to me by those with whom I have to do, yet doubtless they will allow great impor- tance to office ; and that it must have authority in it. I need not affirm, that authority is an inseparable attribute of office ; and that it is its essence, the form and admin- istration thereof being accidents. But it will be seen, that the accident of form in this case is of most material importance, that the public, the world, may know beyond a doubt what and whom to respect as invested with this authority. The form is the only visible sign — the only palpable badge of authority ; and if that cannot be deter- mined, then clearly, all is loose, all uncertain — the king- FOR EPISCOPACY. 149 dom falls, as to its visibility, for lack of authority to set it up and to sustain it. Evidently, if we must believe that the Head of the Church has made all necessary provisions for the visible economy of his kingdom — which, I think, should be as- sumed as an axiom — there must be found somewhere in the setting up of that kingdom those arrangements, which such an axiom supposes. Moreover, the principle of this axiom runs through all time, and makes it equally neces- sary, that these arrangements, or provisions, should be found in uninterrupted succession, as that they should be found in the beginning. If there has been a chasm, a break, anywhere, " the gates of hell have prevailed." Certainly they have, if that chasm is so vast, that break so wide, that no man can see over it — that no one can tell us what was beyond it. I think myself warranted, therefore, to take this axiom in hand, and to say, that whatever of visible authority, whatever of definite form and order was necessary to con- stitute the Christian ministry — and if there was any min- istry at all, having authority, it must have been definite — that form and that order must be distinctly traceable on the map of the history of the Church of Christ, from the Apostles down to this time. No matter how many may have been " the dark ages," or how dark they were ; no matter what obscurity may rest on any portion of church history ; to say, to admit, that that obscurity is so deep, that those periods were so dark, that nothing can be known, that no certainty can be obtained on this point — is to admit, that the primitive, and of course the appro- priate visibility of Christ's kingdom — in other words, that the ministry, which the Apostles set up, has been lost — and lost for ever. I must beg leave to msist, that the ne- cessity of such a perpetuity is an axiom in this argument. It would be impossible for me to repose that confidence in the Head of the Church, which I wish to feel and do feel, as having made all necessary and indispensable pro- visions for the perpetual maintenance of his visible king- dom, and as having sustained those provisions by hia providence, if I did not take this ground. 13* 150 REASONS In accordance with the principle of this axiom WG find, that there is one, and only one definite form of the Chris- tian ministry, that can be traced distinctly and satisfacto- rily through all ages back to the ministry of the Apostles — and that form, as I need not say, is Episcopacy. I am not aware, that there is any sort of claim for any other ministry, as having been perpetual — uninterrupted ; or that there can be any reasonable, credible denial, that this has been so. It is true, indeed, if the Presbyterian be allowed to as- sume, that the ministry set up by the Apostles was after his model, then it will only follow, that Episcopacy, which can be distinctly traced back to the Apostles, as the only form of the ministry existing for many centuries in the church, was a change, and of course an usurpation, in- troduced as soon as the Apostles had rested from their labours ; and that, not till these latter days, has the Chris- tian ministry been reduced by Presbyterians and others to its primitive form. This is, indeed, a great stretch, a long reach of assumption, which, as seems to me, is as far beyond the potency of common belief to receive, as it is beyond modesty to claim. Is it credible, that the economy of the Christian minis- try should have been vitiated so soon — immediately — • and that by conscientious men, successors of the Apos- tles, who were perfectly well acquainted with their prac- tice 1 It is not only setting at naught the axiom, which I have referred to, and in which I humbly think is vested the vitality of the Saviour's visible kingdom ; but it as- sumes, that the wisdom of the Apostles, who are sup- posed to have been divinely inspired for this purpose, and of course, that the wisdom and power of God failed in the very outset of this stupendous enterprise of setting up a kingdom to swallow up all other kingdoms ! It follows from this assumption, that the primitive and indispensa- ble economy of its organization could not endure even for a single age, and was not restored again for fourteen centuries! Have not then " the gates of hell prevailed ]" But why should this amazing assumption of the Pres- byterian be allowed ! What reasonable claim for it ? POU EPISCOPACY. 151 Our axiom demands that we should find a perpetual min- istry in a definite form ; and Episcopacy is the only min- istry, that has been uninterrupted. If, therefore, we find Episcopacy in all ages back to the Apostles- which, I think can hardly be denied — and if, moreover, there is no other ministry to be found with- out interruption, it only remains to determine, whether such was the pohty and government used and set up by the Apostles. Can there be a doubt, that the Apostles were the su- preme supervisois of the churches, which they planted 1 Here, then, we have it at once — the very thmg we are seeking for : A College of Bishops in the College of Apos- tles. Let it be observed — we have at present nothing to do with names — we are m quest of a principle — a distinct principle. Was the government of the primitive churches, as administered by the Apostles, based on the Episcopal principle, or not ? Obviously, whoever may be the ju- rors sitting on this simple question, be they Presbyte- rians, or Lutherans, or Methodists, or Baptists, or any others, or all together, their verdict must be unanimous : The Apostles, and they alone supervised and governed the churches which they planted ; they brought in as- sociates ; they appointed successors ; and they finally left the entire work in the hands of successors. The supervision and control of the Apostles, then, ne- mine contra dicente, with the united voice of all con- cerned in this question — was strictly and purely Episco- pal. Observe : this position is taken up on the naked principle, all names and grades of office out of view. All will concede, that it was proper for the Apostles to super- vise their own work ; that they were competent and most fit, because they were under Divine inspiration and gui- dance ; and that they did so. We find, then, Episcopacy in the College of Apostles, distinct, palpable, undoubted. We find it also in all suc- ceeding history, and in all parts of the world, where branches of the primitive church are to be found. The simple questions, then, that remain, are — Did the Apos- tles establish this form of government, to be carried into 152 REASONS use, and to be sustained after their demise, and onward 1 And what was the definite form of the mmistry thus set up ? It cannot be denied, that the Apostles were invested with peculiar prerogatives — one of which was, authorita- tive inspiration for inditing public records of doctrine, precept, prophecy, &c. — and another to determine and arrange a ministerial and church organization. What other pecuhar prerogatives they might have been charged with, I do not know that it is essential for the purpose now in view to determine. It is evident, that there must have been a line between their peculiar prerogatives and those which were common to themselves and to those, whom they admitted as associates and appointed as suc- cessors. The peculiar prerogatives of the Apostles were doubt- less official as parts of a special commission; but not as parts of a permanent ministry. What, then, of the prop- erly official was common to them and to other ministers, whom they ordained, and who succeeded them 1 One self-evident rule to determine this question is — that which is necessary in all times and places, such as authority to preach the Gospel and administer its ordinances ; power of supervision and control ; power to appoint and ordain other ministers to do the same ; general power to set and keep in order the ministry and churches by prescribed rules ; &c. We may ask with propriety : Were the appointing, su- pervisory, and controUing powers of the Apostles a pat- tern — a model ? Doubtless they were. To what extent, then 1 To the extent of necessity, be it more or less. Was their superior relation to other ministers a peculiar prerogative, or a pattern 1 This may be determined by the economy, which they may seem to have constituted. The instructions given by Paul to Timothy and Titus are decisive. In those Epistles grades of ministerial office are most clearly developed : and Timothy and Titus are recognised, not only as being superiors, but as having power of a^ipointment, or ordination. They evidently had general appointing, supervisory, and controlling pow- FOR EPISCOPACY. 153 ers committed to them and imposed ; and Paul gives minute and specific instructions to what ends and how these powers should be employed and applied. This providential and lucid development may fairly be taken as a key to the general economy set up by the Apostles over the entire field of their labours ; and their several epistles, together with the book of Acts, are re- plete with indications and proofs confirmative of this theory. The theory sheds light upon the records, and the records illustrate and establish the theory. When we take up a theory of ministerial organization fairly deduced from historical research back to the per- sonal ministry of the Apostles, and find abundant histori- cal developments everywhere and in all ages of the same type ; when, upon the closest examination, we find this theory is not mconsistent with the writings of the New Testament, but that it sheds light on them and receives light from them in return — each corroborative of each — and being satisfied, convinced, that the coincidence could not be accidental ; it is impossible we should not feel, that we have arrived at something like certainty. As to the definite form, ox forms of this Episcopacy, Ecclesiastical history is not doubtful. Unnecessary and immense confusion has been thrown over and around this question, by an appeal to official and adventitious names, applied, in the Acts and Epistles, to the Christian minis- try, and by not discriminating between them ; as also by not taking hold of marked principles, as they are obvi- ously and distinctly developed. Names are arbitrary and accidental, and change with time and events. The names worn by the Apostles and by the ministry which they ap- pointed are at one time official, as Bishop, Presbyter, Eider, Deacon, &c. ; at another declarative of some specific employments, or acts, or classes of acts, as Evangelist, teacher, &c. ; at another they express some specific relation, as minister, pastor, &c. ; at another they are metaphorical, as Angel, Ambassador, Prophet, &c. The highest name of all is Apostle, which is offi- cial, as it involves a commission, and relative to its au- thority and its object. This name is sometimes ap- g3 154 ^ REASONS plied to others besides the Apostles, in its simple etymo- logical sense, or metaphorically ; at others, officially to their associates, who were added to the original class. Some of the official names are applied interchangeably to the same official agents, where the greater involves the less, as; " The elders who are among you I exhort, who am also an elder.*' 1 Pet. v. 1. The Apostles were all bishops, presbyters, and elders. Official names are also applied interchangeably, to denote the same office, as presbyter, elder, &c. It is impossible, therefore, to reason with any absolute certainty, on the question under consideration, from the accidental application of names. The specific cases, circumstances, and manifest object must all be taken into consideration. An emperor may mean a general in the Roman army ; or the chief magistrate of a nation in an- cient or modern times. A consul may mean the head of the French Republic, or a mere commercial agent. A governor may be over a province, or a state, or a hos- pital, or 'a jail. Our own ministers of religion of the same grade are called interchangeably pastors, teach- ers, domines, elders, parsons, priests, missionaries, &c. These names are official, or declarative of employment, or metaphorical, or popular — and all arbitrary and acci- dental. Unless, therefore, we bring names in such ap- plications down to the history, the times, the circum- stances, the subjects, and the objects, we are all at sea. Disregarding such reasons for discrimination, one might bring together the various names applied to the Apostles and their fellow-labourers, and make " confusion worse confounded." But regarding these considerations with a proper discrimination, there is little or no difficulty ia determining their meaning, official or otherwise ; and when they are official, the specific nature and grade of office may also be determined. That the ministry of the Apostles in their own per- sons was an Episcopacy, cannot be denied ; that the ministry, which they appointed, was an Episcopacy, seems very satisfactorily indicated ; and that the min- istry, which they designed should continue iu the chuich, FOR EPISCOPACY. 165 was after this model, is so evident, that it seems impos- sible not to believe it, when all preconceived opinion and prejudice are laid aside. Any other conclusion seems a violence alike to presumption, to scriptural de- velopments, and to history. Who can estabhsh the negative against such notices ? Who, with such indica- tions, can resist the bearing and weight of probability in this specific direction, not to speak of positive evi- dence 1 That the Episcopacy appointed by the Apostles was exactly of the same type, as that which now prevails, can hardly be considered material, so long as the difference is so small, as not to be appreciable. That the grades of the ministry should stand under different names, is of no consequence, provided the principle be maintained. No certain and conclusive argument can be based upon the arbitrary and accidental change of names — except as sometimes it may satisfactorily be shown, that it has been done for public reasons and public convenience. For example : It is impossible not to have respect for that feeling of the first age, which left the Apostles in their own distinctive and high pre-eminence, and appro- priated the term bishop to the highest office of the Chris- tian ministry, when before it had been interchangeably applied to the second grade. The order existed as ap- pointed by the Apostles, and for public convenience it must needs have a name of exclusive and permanent ap- plication. It was therefore adopted and assigned to this place — arbitrary and accidental at first, but ever after fixed and well understood. The application of priest to the second order, was an early, but yet an arbitrary usage. Presbyter is more ap- propriate and primitive ; and elder would have been equally so. Deacon is right and primitive ; although it is conceded, I believe, by Episcopahans themselves, at least by some, that the office of a deacon, as now exer- cised, is accommodated in some measure to a different state of society, and to the more convenient uses of the ministry in present circumstances ; but without violation of primitive and distinctive principles. So long as origi- 156 REASONS nal principles are preserved, public convenience, in any new combination of society, may be safely consulted. My object in this chapter, as declared in the outset, has rather been to suggest the argument for Episcopacy in a comprehensive statement, than to arrange it in de- tail ; and to expose briefly the method and course of my own reasoning on the subject. Those who may have leisure, and who may desn-e to prosecute the inquiry, are already referred to some of the best authorities. The serious and conscientious inquirer, entertaining proper respect for the wisdom and power of the Head of the Church, must, as I think, carry along with him, in all his investigations on this subject, the fundamental axiom I have referred to, viz. That a definite ministry must have been appointed in the beginning, and must be sustained throughout all time — a ministry that can be found, seen, known, beyond any reasonable doubt. To such a mind the position can hardly be satisfactory, that the model of the ministry can be of no consequence ; that it may be one thing in one age and country, and diverse in all others, each from each. Such an hvpothesis could not be creditable to the wisdom, nor demonstrative of the power of the Author of Christianity, because we unavoid- ably feel, that such looseness — such want of plan, of system — must necessarily embarrass and confound the operations of such an enterprise, in such a world as this, and in view of the nature of man as a social, but fallen, erring being. It is virtually an impeachment of Divine wisdom. Those very considerations, which make a Di vine Revelation necessary, require that one part of it should determine the form — the mode of that ministry, which is ordained the leading and grand instrumental agency to accomplish the objects of that Revelation ; and so to determine it, that it can be ascertained by compa- ring the hghts of the record with the lights of Providence. Though the last, viz. the lights of Providence, alias of history, have been so often and so emphatically eschewed, as having no legitimate place among the materials of inves- tigation, yet are they as indispensable as the record. They are both from the same high authority. It is remarkable, FOR EPISCOPACY. 157 that this principle of interpretation is recognised and laid down by Revelation itself: "No prophecy is its own in- terpreter." It requires the lights of history. In the instance under consideration, tliere is history enough in the record itself satisfactorily to determine the question ; nevertheless, the lights of subsequent history are fairly and properly applied to it. Our axiom asserts, that the Head of the Church cannot have been disap- pointed in his plan, and we may expect to find all along in the track of his providence the ministry of his own appointment; and of course the model of that ministry. This axiom can by no means be set down as an assump- tion. It is a vital principle, revealed, and in form de- clared : " On this rock I will build my church ; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." It is a prin- ciple, that pervades God's providential government of the world. If the Christian ministry, in its own proper form, has at any time ceased from the earth — been lost — or essentially vitiated, then, as it seems to me, has the promise, purpose, and plan of God failed; forasmuch as a perpetuity of the ministry is essential to the per- petuity of the church. I have been surprised to find how much of assumption is required to oppose the claims of Episcopacy. I beg leave to introduce here the following list of such as- sumptions from Bishop Onderdonk's " Episcopacy tested by Scripture" : — " Parity (the claim to equality of rank in the Christian ministry) never can prove, but always takes for granted one or more of the following points: 1. That because the name ' Bishop' is applied in Scripture to the second order of the ministry, there is no higher order there mentioned. 2. That the transaction in Acts xiii. 2-3, was the ordination of Barnabus and Saul. 3. That the "word ' Presbytery' means not an office, bat a body of el- ders ; and 4. Of elders strictly, without an Apostle ; or 5. If an Apostle was with them, that he had no more ordaining power than they. 6. That Evangehsts, as such, had supreme power over new churches and their clergy. T. That no individuals but the proper (original) 14 158 REASONS Apostles had such (apostohc) authority over churches and their clergy after their affairs were settled. 8. That the Epistles to Timothy were meant for all the clergy in Ephesus. 9. That Timothy had supreme authority in Ephesus only as an Evangelist, not as an Apostle, or such a successor of the Apostles, as was afterward called a bishop. 10. That Titus was an Evangehst. 11. That each of the seven churches of Asia consisted of but one congregation. 12. That the ' Angels' were but pas- tors of single congregations. 13. That they were but moderators of bodies of presbyters, &c. &c. Some of these points are always taken for granted in the anti- episcopal argument intended to rest on the basis of Scrip- ture. We deny them all, and aver that Scripture fur- nishes no evidence^ less or greater, direct or indirect, towards substantiating them." If any persons should desire to see how the bishop has supported this denial, and managed other parts of the argument from Scripture, they are respectfully referred to the Tract itself, which may be had separately, or be found in " Episcopacy Examined and Re-examined," which also contains the Rev. Mr. Barnes's reply, &c. In this connexion the economy of the Levitical priest- hood is not to be overlooked. The form and ordering thereof may fairly be regarded as a pattern of a ministry devised by God himself, suited to the nature of man and to the condition of human society. There we find different orders, and specific rules are given to determine and fix them. With this pattern in their eye the Apos- tles set up Christianity and appointed its ministry. Can it be supposed they paid no respect to it ] If indeed it was founded in nature, in propriety, in public conve- nience, and for public good, so far as the point now un- der consideration is concerned, would the Holy Spirit, which ordered the first and presided over the last, be likely to constitute the second totally unhke the former ? Can it be imagined, that the piinciple of organization, that pervaded the Levitical priesthood, was one of the things ordained to expire with the Levitical rites of cere- FOR EPISCOPACY. 159 mony, sacrifice, &c. ? and that the formation of the Christian ministry should have no respect to tiiat model ? Presumption, probability must, I think, be allowed to have some force in this reference ; and not a little. It is not without reason, that the Papal Church has had re- gard to the Levitical plan in the constitution and ap- pointed rites of her priesthood. But in this, as in all things else, she has gone to an extreme. As subsequent history sheds light on the Apostolic age and writings in reheving this question from embar- rassment, so does the light of previous arrangem.ents contribute its aid to this point. If it may be taken for granted, that the Christian Sabbath takes the place of the Jewish ; that baptism is a substitute for circumcision, &c. &c. then may it also be taken for granted, that the Christian ministry comes directly in the place of the Le- vitical priesthood, as between God and the people ; and that the Apostles would of course regard that model in the new arrangement committed to their charge. If left to their own discretion, it is morally certain they would have done it ; and it is scarcely less probable, that tho Holy Spirit should have so directed them. Validity and invalidity of ordination. It is natural in this discussion, that the mind should re- cur to this topic ; it is unavoidable. I may possibly, in the minds of some, do myself discredit by the confession, that my former com})osure on this subject, or contentment with the ordination I had received, resulted, so far as I know myself, from the following influences. 1. Educa- tion. This, as every one knows, has great power, and is not easily disturbed. To be driven from the ground, that one has been educated upon, in a matter of so great mo- ment, will doubtless be ascribed by some to a want of firmness. It may, however, be done in singleness of mind, and under the calmest deliberation. But why did he not inform himself before ] Answer : He was not so educated. A truism ? Nevertheless, I think the answer will be appreciated. 2. I found myself in a great deal 160 REASONS of good company. The many about us, as we com- monly think, are more hkely to be right ; especially, if there are great names in our society, it is very satisfac- tory. Who can declare himself uninfluenced by author- ity ? 3. It was not convenient to change. But that is not honest. Yes, it may be perfectly so. Education, connexions, position in society, influential authority, &c. constitute convenience in such a matter ; and all these may so operate on the mind, as to satisfy the conscience, whik in fact convenience is the governing law. 4. When my mind developed tendencies towards being disturbed on this question, I generally quieted my- self in a resort always at hand for the exigency, viz. There is no historical certainty, and one may as well go on where he is. I am inclined to think, that this last rea- son is extensively prevalent, and very influential. When so much can be said on both sides, one seems to have a very good apology for occupying ground that is most con- venient. 5. I do not think it is morally possible, in the ordinary circumstances of those, on whom it is more par- ticularly incumbent to examine this question, to do it with perfect candour — unbiased. They are influenced in a way and by causes, which they cannot help, and that in perfect consistency with uprightness. It is only by a change of position very considerable, that a mind can be thoroughly redeemed from such influences. 6, The po- sition of a Presbyterian and Congregationalist on this question, in rejecting and opposing the claims of Episco- pacy, and the materials of argument on which he princi- pally reUes, very naturally lead him to depreciate the idea and theory of consecration^ not only as respects sacred edifices, &c., but as respects the sacred office. In his theory, if the ofl[ice is influential, that is the princi- pal thing. I am inclined to think, that with most of these two classes of persons, and with others interested on the same side of the question, uninterrapted descent of the sacred office, is not regarded as indispensably im- portant. I have shown in another place, that the Con- gregationalists or Independents of England reject the idea of consecration altogether ; and I have reason to FOR EPISCOPACY. 161 suppose there is a great deal of sympathy with this theory among those in America, who reject the claims of Episcopacy. I once heard a sermon to establish this point, from a Presbyterian of high rank, who is now pres- ident of a college. I am sure I have myself been influ- enced not a little by this leaven. Where this idea pre- vails, the claims of Episcopacy are of course lightly es- teemed. But a very great change of my own position in society at last left me open to re-examine this question uninflu- enced by any strong bias ; and other considerations, before recognised, have led me to it. The result of the whole has been a satisfactory and full conviction, that the Head of the Church by his Apostles set up an Episco- pal economy over his visible kingdom, of a plural num- ber of ministerial grades ; that he designed it to be per- petual ; and that he has secured its perpetuity. I feel obliged, moreover, to believe, as an indispensable ele- ment of the system, without which the fabric would be dissolved, that the ministry must perpetuate itself. I am satisfied, that the Apostles adopted associates and appointed successors to themselves of their own stand- ing and grade, as to the proper ministerial office — leav- ing out of view^ of course their extemporaneous and pe- cuhar prerogatives — and that it is the appropriate busi- ness of these successors of the Apostles to perpetuate the ministry, that was left in their hands. I believe, be- cause T find, that since the days of the Apostles, this su- preme grade has been known under the name of bishops ; and in this office I recognise the Apostolic trust. With these views, it was impossible that I should remain in my former connexion. What will he the Result of the Discussion of this question in the Christion World ? A curious suggestion, rather than useful, perhaps ; and it would seem moreover to be trespassing on the ground of prophecy. With those, who feel obliged to yield to the claims of Episcopacy, as an economy set up by the Apos- 14* 162 REASONS ties, and carrying with it the obligations of authority, it cannot but be a subject of regret, that Martin Luther, John Calvin, and their associates ; and afterward, John Knox and his followers, should have departed from it. It is sufficiently evident, that they all felt it to be a bold step ; that they had their misgivings, John Knox, per- haps, excepted, who in this particular did justice to the character of his country. " Tlie exigence of necessity" pressed harder upon him, than upon the Continental re- formers, who for such a reason thought themselves war- ranted in sacrificing Episcopacy. But, although it does appear, that they were all of them well absorbed in carry- ing on their great work, and from the violence arrayed against and brought to bear upon them, might be ex- cused for looking with disrespect upon pretensions which came armed with such tremendous power, yet, it does not satisfactorily appear, that Episcopacy might not have been obtained either from the Roman, or Greek, or Bo- hemian Church. But whirled onward by the giddy and impassioned spirit of the age, and by the absorbing ne- cessities of their great enterprise, this question seems not to have received all that serious consideration, which its importance claimed ; and having once made the leap, they and their descendants have been compelled to jus- tify it. But the progress of three centuries has superinduced more temperate thinking and cooler reasoning. For all of good, which tlie Reformation has brought with it on society — on the world — we " thank God and take cour- age." It is impossible to appreciate too highly that emancipation of mind — that stage of advancement in re- ligion and civil society ; at the same time it cannot be denied, that the Reformation had its faults. It was human. The vices of the age had their seat too deep and firm in the elementary combinations of the social fabric to be all eradicated in a moment and by a single effort. The effort itself, in such a tempest of human passion, was liable to abuse, and to induce evils ; and nothing but the infallible guidance of inspired men was competent, in such a violent change, to avert and bar FOR EPISCOPACY. 163 them. Along with the evils, that remained, some of which were induced, Episcopacy to a great extent, was sacrificed. With my present views 1 may be allowed to assume this, although 1 do not claim to impose it ; and I think it will generally be granted, that the sacrifice was an evil, inasmuch as it might have been retained in those Reformed churches which now reject it, under the same general ecclesiastical economy and modes of worship, which now prevail among them. For Episcopacy, it should be kept in inind, has no necessary connexion with a Liturgy, or any particular modes of worship. These ac- cidents are matters of taste, preference, and expediency, to be determined by the parties who adopt and use more or less of them, as their wisdom or choice may approve. Suppose, that all the branches of the Protestant Re- formed church had retained Episcopacy with all the other varieties as they now exist : this great question would then have been for ever at rest. Would it not have been a blessing ] The principle of Episcopacy- must obtain ; the religious world cannot do without it ; it is essential in society for the management of religious enterprises on any extended scale. I have shown, that it now pervades and governs the American religious world throughout. It is even astonishing with what rapidity it has come over the land. It is the result of necessity in all such great religious efforts, associated and combined, as have characterized this country for a few years past. In view of the position which we now occupy in rela- tion to the past and future — the workings of the religious elements in our own land — and of that free and inde- pendent thinking which characterizes the public mind, which withal must have its influence in our public schools and theological seminaries — if indeed, there be any strong claims in Episcopacy, it cannot be matter of sur- prise, that it should soon obtain a respect even in this country, which it has not heretofore realized. There are at present two very influential considerations, which may lawfully constitute a ground for such an anticipation : One is, that the religious extravagances of the country will 164 REASONS naturally drive the more sober part of the community to this resort for protection. The other is, upon the pre- mises here occupied, viz. that Episcopacy has strong claims to respect, sober inquiry, candid mvestigation, and temperate discussion, will brmg doubts over the minds of numerous candidates for the Christian ministry, as to the validity of other orders, and compel them in obedience to conscience to resolve those doubts by adopting the only alternative, that lies before them. The question in their minds will be reduced to this : — Other ordination is uncertain — unsatisfactory ; this is allowed by all to be valid ; it has a respect in the conscience, and a currency in the opinion of all mankind. Let us, therefore, adopt that, concerning which there is no doubt. There is yet another reason, which can hardly fail to have its influence with candidates for the ministry, when it comes to be duly weighed — a reason, which, it must be confessed, does not rest in Episcopacy apart from its ac- cidents ; but which in our country, and for the most part elsewhere, is known to be allied to it. I mean the ex- cellence and convenience of the public and authorized ritual of the Episcopal Church. The use of this, always the same and always orthodox, will be found upon re- flection to constitute a facility most essential to the con- venience and efficiency of the ministry. The experi- ence of all ministers, who have been accustomed to do without this help, will abundantly certify, that all those services which this ritual comprehends and supplies, customarily make a most exorbitant and exhausting de- mand upon their intellectual resources and physical powers. To sustain these parts well, independent of a Liturgy, requires an ability which few men possess. In the use of this ritual, it is only necessary, that the offi- ciating minister should carry into his pulpit a proper and a devout state of feeling. His intellect is not tasked for these services ; but all his strength, in that particu- lar, may be reserved for his sermon — for that exercise, the more specific design of which is to bring sinners to repentance, and to allure onward towards heaven the hosts of God's elect, by inciting: them to active obedience on roR EPiscoPAcr. 165 earth. While the Liturgy prepares the mind, the ser- mon should have a power in it to give the impulse. As a matter of needful economy in the public offices of the ministry, the help of the ritual is most important. For the wsluI of this there is at this moment a greater waste of health and life in the ministry of this country, than can be estimated. I heed not the charge of lazi- ness, commg up from the fens and bogs of uncharita- bleness — from those unsympathizing hearts, which would rather exult and sing, than shed a tear, over the prema- ture grave of a minister of Jesus Christ, leaving upon the sod that covers him this cruel praise and long stereo- typed cant — " that it is better to wear out, than rust out." There is no time — no room for laziness in the ranks of the Christian ministry, in this age and in this land. The great question is — how shall they be saved from becom- ing victims to the incessant and overwhelming demands for their private and public labours ; and how shall the little power, which God has given them, be most econom- ically and efficiently employed 1 A pubhc ritual, gen- erally introduced, would unquestionably be a most essen- tial relief ; besides, that it would furnish a most important facihty in the hands of ministers to check and control those powerful tendencies to extravagance, which are so characteristic of our religious world. The prejudices against liturgical services, that have prevailed so extensively, are unreasonable — unphilosoph- ical, — and it is pleasing to observe, that the public mind, which to a great extent and for ages has been lodged in the extreme of doing without any liturgical form of wor- sliip, is coming back to a more wholesome state. It is remarkable, that within a few years not a little of the tal- ent of the most eminent private Christians and minis- ters, both in England and America, and of many too who are connected with denominations that reject public lit- urgies altogether, has been employed in preparing and publishing devotional compositions for the closet, for the liamily, and more or less for public use. And this work is still going on ; it is patronised ; and the fact proves the tendencies of the public mind. Good sense will eooner or Later prevail over unreasonable prejudice. 165 REASONS CHAPTER V. The new and extraordinary religious state of the country. Monsieur J. H. Merle D'Aubigne, President of the Theological seminary at Geneva, delivered a discourse at the commencement of the annual session, May 1st, 1834, entitled, The invariableness of the doctrines of Chris- tianity, amid the divej'sity of its forms — The voice of the Church one and the same in all ages* It is a highly and purely philosophical treatise. I trust I may say philo- sophical, without doing prejudice to it. That it is the work of a Christian of high rank for piety and talents, and the advocate of orthodoxy against rationalism at Geneva, his relation to that seminary and the tract itself declare. M. D'Aubigne sets forth in this production four grand developments of Christianity, which he denomi- nates — the form of Life ; the form of Doctrine ; the form of the School ; and the form of the Reformation. By form M. D'Aubigne evidently means development. The first form, or development, which he calls the form of Life, comprehends the period from the Apostles onward from two to three centuries — where, as he sup- poses, and not without reason, we find a marked and impressive development of the vitality of Christianity. The second form, or development, he denominates the form of Doctrine, beginning with the early part of the fourth century, and running on to the middle of the eleventh ; during which period, especially in the former part of it, the great and fundamental doctrines of Chris- tianity were thoroughly discussed and settled in the form of authorized creeds, and other literary productions of eminent individual authorities, under the sanction of the * See Literary and Theological Review for December, 1835, FOR EPISCOPACY. 1 G7 greatest names in the history of the church. Then comeg the form of the School [schola], the grand characteristic of which was an eflbrt to reduce the doctrines of Chris- tianity to system — which succeeded, and thus constituted a new development. This began in the eleventh century. And next comes thefoi-m, or development^ of the Refoi-ma- tion. Of course, as might be expected in such a philosoph- ical treatise, M. D'Aubigne discerned numberless minor developments in each of these grand forms — each and all of which had their specific character, importance, and influence, and which it was impossible, within the limits prescribed to him, to bring under review. The chief in- terest of this effort lies in a demonstration (showing) of a providential consistency, which declares uniformity of doctrine and design, supported through all ages of the church ; or in his own language, the invariableness of the doctrines of Christianity in the midst of the diversity of- its forms. He shows, that Christianity is the same always ; that the progress of its history has been its providential development ; that it has not been impaired, but gradually opened ; and that the Reformation of the sixteenth century restored, combined, and united its capi- tal elements of vitality and doctrine systematized. " The Reformation," says M. D'Aubigne, " took the form of system, and carried it back upon the form of doctrine. Then it carried back these two forms united upon the form of life. Or rather, it proceeded in an inverted order. It started with life, led it forward into doctrine^ and crowned the whole with system. The Reformation united the three sorts of culture which preceded it." This theory, thus adduced from history, leads him to a modest conjecture in regard to the future : " A fifth period, or form, has now commenced in the church, mys- terious, unknown, whose peculiar characteristics it is not yet given us to discern. But the funda- mental truths, which we have passed in review, will also constitute the essence and glory of the future form (de- velopment) God suffers nothing to be lost in his church, The church can no 168 " REASONS more divest herself of the influence of the successive forms, through ■which she has passed, than a tree can divest itself of the layers, which every spring adds to it ; or the body of a full-grovi^n man of its annual increments, The past will live again in the future. Life, doctrine, system — all will be found united in the new form. But will there not be something to give it a peculiar character, and thus to distinguish it from the form (development) of the Reformation ] Doubtless there will ; but this something is yet to come — and who shall describe it ? Nevertheless, I will hazard a conjec- ture. Will not the peculiar feature of the new form (de- velopment) be a universal activity in extending to every lace of men, and to every man of every race, what the preceding forms have produced 1 Has not the period of the Reformation united all the isolated excellences of the first three, that the new period (now opening on the world) may lay its hand upon them, and spread them abroad among mankind 1 Must not life, doctrine, system^ or rather Christian science become the property of our race, as they have never been hitherto 1 I am silent on these things, which are still concealed from our view by a dark veil." And where is the pertinence of this far-fetched theory to the purpose announced ] Let it not, however, be branded with the name of theory, as if it were an hypoth- esis. It will be seen how it grows out of history, and is based upon it. But, of its pertinency in this place : — I beg leave, then, to say, that of the new form, or development, of Christianity, now opening on the world, the history of religion in the United States of America must be allowed to constitute a very essential and im- portant feature. Moreover, this very development on this grand scale hath its own minor developments, in which American Christians are all practically concerned. They have been passing before the eyes of the world ever since the first settlement of this country by our European ancestors, and they are still opening and pass- ing in rapid succession. Unquestionably, we, Americans, are the most religious FOR EPISCOPACY. ' |0i people in the world. Tliat is, religion, as an element of society, has more energy among us, than with any other people. The Papists, indeed, have more of the externals, of the paraphernalia of religion ; but religion with them is for the most part a passive principle, acted upon by their immense and complicated machinery. With most of European Protestants, religion still lies buried in heaps of rubbish, from which it has never yet been able thoroughly to disengage itself. In Great Britain it has more purity and more energy than on the Contment — far more — and it is fast reviving and re- covering its primitive vitality, under all the advantages of well-digested doctrine and settled system. But with us religion is still more vital ; it is more pure ; it is charged with far greater energy in and over the moral elements of the community. " The way of the Lord is here prepared." As in the construction and arrange- ment of our political and civil fabric we had the power of rejecting the vices inherent in the institutions of the Old World, and by the favour of Providence have in a great measure succeeded ; so have we been able to re- ject the vices of their rehgious systems, and to gain an advancement on the rest of the Christian world in this particular, which, if discreetly used by us, bids fair to give us the lead in that grand development of Christian- ity, which, in the theory of Monsieur D'Aubigne, is sup- posed to be now in progress. Let us, then, for a moment review the religious history of this country, that we may observe our own career, find what we now are, and whether, indeed, there be any- thing in the present state of religion among us new and extraordinary — enough to warrant the heading of this chapter as a leading topic. It is manifest at a glance, that Christianiry in this country has developed a greater degree of vitality — that it has been more energetic in its influences — than in any other part of the Christian world for the time being. Those events, (developments, if you please, or as a class making one grand development,) commonly called re- vivals of religion, which have characterized the religious 15 H 170 REASONS history of this country from the beginning, cannot be overlooked in this place. They are to the point of our present inquiry, and demonstrate a religious susceptibil- ity in the people of this land, which has never elsewhere been so strikingly developed in any age or country, if we except the Apostolic period ; and the features of our owa history and of that exhibit all that diversity, which might be expected in the light of M. D'Aubigne's theory, ad- mitting it to be well founded. Under the ministry of the Apostles there was exhibited all the genuine vitality of Christianity, without that doctrine and system, as a gen- eral character of the public mind, which now prevails. I mean only, what everybody will admit, that it was not possible for primitive Christians to be so well informed, as is in the power of Christians of these days, and as is generally the fact in such a country as ours, and in Great Britain. It has been made evident to all the world, that the developments of rehgious susceptibility in the public mind of this country have been extraordinary. Let it not be supposed for a moment, that in pursuing this train of reasoning, I leave out of view the Divine economy of Christianity in any of its peculiar features and appointed agencies ; that I overlook its adaptation to the moral na- ture of man, as devised by infinite wisdom ; that I dis- regard the use of divinely appointed means ; or that I forget, that the Holy Spirit of God is the author of all pure religious affections in the heart of man. All these and other leading, fundamental, and cardinal doctrines of Christianity are assumed — taken for granted. I speak now only as a Christian philosopher, investigating those adventitious conditions of society, which as means or as obstacles make Christianity more or less energetic in one age and in one country, than in others. It is false to assume, that there is no philosophy in the develop- ments of religion. The economy of Christianity is fixed by God himself, and unalterable. But the conditions of society, where it is introduced, are adventitious and variable. Hence the effects of Christianity are variable, from the very FOR EnSCOPACY. 171 fact, that its economy is ever the same, and society not the same. And all this variableness is a proper subject of philosophical mvestigation. No inquiry can be more suitable, or more practically important for Christians. It is solely under the influence of such considerations, that I venture upon this ground. It is not forbidden — but a duty ; it is the way to obtain that light, which, as Christians, we need to qualify us for the service of our Divine Master. As Christians we need to under- stand the state of society, in which we live ; and in the way to that, we are compelled to review and investigate the stages and modes of its progress to any given period — to our own time. It is a matter of history, then, that the moral elements of the people of this land have proved peculiarly and in a high degree susceptible of being influenced by religion • — by Christianity. Religious excitements, called revi- vals of religion, have been a prominent feature in the history of this country from its earliest periods — more particularly within a hundred years ; and the agency of man has always had more or less to do in their manage- ment, or in their origination, or in both. Formerly in theory — for man is naturally a philosopher, and will al- ways have his theory for every event and every fact — they were regarded as Pentecostal seasons — as showers from heaven — with which this world below had nothing to do, but to receive and be refreshed by them, as they came. Such was the theory of ministers and of Chris- tians generally m the days of President Edwards ; such was the prevailing impression for a long time subsequent ; and such for the most part has it ever been, till within a few years past. Prayer and a general preparation of mind in Christian communities, as a passive condition, involving active and earnest desires, were always con- sidered important. But direct and general efforts of a more positive kind, especially as reduced to a system, I believe, were rarely if ever undertaken till of late years. It is impossible not to feel a respect for such states of the public mind, accounts of which have been given by Pres- ident Edwards and others. A whole community, or the h2 172 REASONS great majority of them, absorbed in serious thoughts about eternal things, inquiring the way to heaven, and seeming intent on the attainment of that high and glori- ous condition, presents a spectacle, as solemn as it is interesting to contemplate. Such, doubtless, has been the condition of many communities in the early and later history of American revivals ; and it is no less true, that the fruits have been the turning of many to God and his ways. But while we pay our unqualified respect to these manifest outpourings of the Divine Spirit, when men looked on and felt and beheved, that they were indeed of this character ; such as have been experienced in this land for nearly a century, been welcomed by the compla- cency and the holiest sympathies of our most eminent divines, and managed under God by their discreet and anxious culture ; such as have been an honour to re- ligion, commanded the respect of the world, and been the means of turning thousands from the error of their ways to God and his Christ ; such as have confirmed the rela- tion of pastor and people, and bound them together by stronger ties ; such as have promoted the general inter- ests of piety and pure morality among the people, and given greater efficiency to the exemplary and zealous efforts of a regular ministry ; — approving these, as in all good conscience a Christian can hardly fail to do, it is impossible not to look with some distrust and anxiety on a new order of religious excitements, which, for a few years past, has been gradually taking the place of the class above referred to, pervading the country to no in- considerable extent, conducted and managed principally by itinerating ministers, who have no permanent connex- ions with society, whose influence has rather disturbed and broken up the old and wholesome relation of pastor and people, created a wide spread and insatiate appetite for religious novelties, and brought about a general in- stability in the character of our religious world. So great has been the respect of the Christian public of this land for revivals of religion, that it was a long time before the regular ministry — ^who had been obliged FOR EPISCOPACY. 173 to see their parishes invaded by these itinerant men, for the declared purpose of producing rehgious excitements, called revivals — dared to bring in question the propriety or usefulness of these proceedings. It was sulFiciently evident to ail sober and discreet ministers, whose piety, Christian zeal, and pastoral character could in no respect be impeached, that these revivals, so called, had begun to assume an entire new character, which they could not approve, and which awakened their anxiety. The theory of revivals, from being dependant on Divine influence, which was the universal belief in their earlier history, both among ministers and private Christians, had in the minds and preaching of these men been reversed, and was boldly and publ'icly afihrmed, to be dependant on man ; and that a revival might be had at any time at the loill of Christians, in any given community — depending, of course, on a specific set of measures invented and ap- plied for this purpose under their direction and control. It is important to be observed, that the theory of revi- vals, as developed in the minds of these men, has under- gone this essential modification — this entire change. I say theory — for such undoubtedly it is. The uniform course pursued and the measures applied prove it to be a theory ; and a theory well understood. In any case it is a theory. The simple preaching of Divine truth to awaken religious attention, in the old way, is a theory, and ci legitimate, scriptural one. But in the case now under consideration the theory involves a new and spe- cific moral machinery, or system of measures, to be em- ployed and applied in connexion with the most startling and terrific appeals to the feehngs and passions. The acme of the contrivance has been to shock the mind and drive it from the position and basis, on which education and habit had fixed and established it. The theory as- sumes, that no religious training can be good and right — that all is wrong — so long as the sinner remains uncon- verted. To dislodge him, therefore, by whatever means, entirely from his accustomed position, from all his habits of thinking, at whatever anxious and conscientious pains they may have been acquired and established under the 15* 174 REASONS best religious guardians and teachers, and to bring his mind under the influence and control of this new moral ma- chinery, is conversion. This is the theory, and substan- tially the mode of its application. They who have philosophized so skilfully in the con- struction of this theory and in the application of this ma- chinery, must excuse us, if we in turn philosophize in analyzing and exposing it. That theory of morals or re- ligion, which will not endure scrutiny, may justly be sus- pected as unsound. They who have introduced an en- tirely new system of rehgious operations, who have un- settled the public mind, who have disturbed the pastoral relations of the country, and in a multitude of instances entirely broken them up, must have an uncommon degree of assurance, if they could expect to assert and enjoy this right, without having it questioned. The crisis has doubtless arrived, when it will be questioned ; it has already been questioned; and the regular ministry of the country, having long suffered the most grievous ills by these incursions, have at last begun to manifest their sense of duty to the public, to conscience, and to God, by betraying or openly declaring their dissent from, their aversion to, and their abhorrence of these practices. This dissent, this aversion, this abhorrence has been tardy in manifesting itself, because of a conscientious re- luctance which all friends of pure and genuine revivals have felt to oppose anything passing under this name ; and in the hope, that these extravagances might be arrest- ed, and the cause of religion redeemed from their blight- ing influence. The forestalling of these events, which has for several years betrayed itself in superior and dis- cerning minds, feeling the responsibility of their high and influential trust as ministers of religion ; the more open expressions of opinion, which have come from the most respectable quarters, in public discussions on this ques- tion, and through the medium of the press ; the gradual withdrawal of confidence, which had been unadvisedly and with the purest intentions bestowed ; and the unin- terrupted developments of the rehgious journals, abun- dantly demonstrate the prevalent and growmg irapres- FOR EPISCOPACY. 175 Sions of this new, extraordinary, and unhappy state of our rehgious world. It is at last found out, tliat this leaven is so widely diffused through the mass of the community, that nearly all religious excitements, wherever they oc- cur, are corrupted by it ; it is next to impossible to have and enjoy a revived state of religious feeling ir any church and congregation without encountering it. The causes of this remarkable state of things are to my mmd sufficiently manifest. First, that grand devel- opment or form of Christianity, in the public mind of this country, which has providentially made us, as a peo- ple, more susceptible of the energetic influences of re- ligious truth than any Christian nation, has afforded won- derful facilities to the most active religious agencies of whatever kind, that have been brought to bear on the mass of the community. From the beginning of our his- tory and in the structure of our society we have been peculiarly open to sudden irruptions of religious zeal from ignorant and inexperienced persons, and from wild en- thusiasts. The early history of Massachusetts proves it ; Trumbull's History of Connecticut lays open the same general fact ; and later events, over a wider field, con- firm it. And lastly, if I may be permitted the sugges- tion, our defective religious and ecclesiastical organiza- tions have ministered to this result. We have had no- thing of this kind, generally adopted, and sufficiently well provided, compact, and firm, to protect and defend us from these irruptions, or to check and restrain these tendencies. A woman could disturb a church, and a man could overthrow it ; a bad and viciously disposed minis- ter could bid defiance to his brethren, and lay waste re- ligious societies for want of authority to arrest his career ; orthodoxy has been exposed for want of a common and generally received creed ; and the best and most useful pastors of the land have had their influence destroyed and b&en broken up by the lawless and rude incursions of those, who are also clothed with the ministerial office and of the same denomination, because there was none that could forbid it. The mfluences, which govern the 176 REASONS religious world, more generally come up from the lower conditions of life and from the ladies, instead of origina- ting in official stations, whence they ought to proceed from the very design of society and by the ordinance of God. In such a state of things it need not seem strange, that the sacred cause of religious revivals should have been so extensively bhghted by the rash experi- ments of bold and adventurous spirits, relying on the phi- losophy of a human theory, rather than on the power of the Spirit of God — inventing and applying machinery of their own, instead of using the legitimate means of Chris- tianity. But lest I should seem not to pay suitable respect to \\ie fruits of these operations, which, it is averred, are often good, and that there is reason to beheve, that numerous souls are born again through this instrumentality, it may seem incumbent upon me to meet this justification. For this I am fully prepared by the experience I have had and the observation I have made. I will admit, then, that souls are regenerated and brought into a spiritual union with Christ by this instru- mentality ; that scores, even hundreds are ; or any num- ber that may be claimed by those who advocate this sys- tem, be it more or less ; and even on that ground I can see abundant reasons for anxiety and regret, that such a system — such modes of operation have prevailed, or ever been introduced in our religious world :- — Because I am reasonably convinced, by the widest scope of this question, and by all the relations and bear- ings of these practices, that they are in the way of the spiritual regeneration and salvation of the greater num- ber of souls. Of course I allude to that system of opera- tions, which contrives to get up in any given community the greatest possible religious excitement ; which sets out on the principle, that it is possible to accomphsh this object in the execution of a specific plan; which goes to work with this view ; which, in instances too many to be a subject of conjecture as to their number, has been known to succeed ; wliich has a distinct theory by which FOR EPISCOPACY. 177 to control and dictate its measures ; and which, in its progress, is characterized by great violence. First, by violence to customary modes of religious op- eration. However pure, good, and unexceptionable they may have been, it sets them almost entirely aside, and introduces a new system, on the principle, that novelty is an essential element of this moral machinery. It is per- fectly philosophical for the end in view. It contrives to take the public mind by surprise, and thus gains an op- portunity to descend upon it in an overwhelming manner. Every stage of progress is studied and arranged philo- sophically, by considering what man is individually and socially, how he is likely to be affected by a given treat- ment applied to his mind and feelings, as a religious and accountable being. Ail the preaching, addresses, warn- ings, entreaties, exhortations, prayers — the time, place, number, and continuous succession of all meetings — are studiously contrived and applied to the great end — ex- citement. The greater the excitement, the better. And when the object of excitement is gained — when pubhc sympathy is sufliciently roused — the most violent meas- ures are employed to urge and press persons to the state of conversion. Great violence is done to ordinary habits of thinking and feeling, though they maybe indifferent or even approvable as to their character. No matter how good and thorough the Christian education of the subjects of this influence may have been, yet they must be startled — shocked ; they must be invaded by some new and un- expected access to their imaginations, fears, hopes, pas- sions ; — in short, their minds must be entirely dislodged from accustomed positions and from all former ground, however good and proper it may have been, and they must be compelled., in a moment of the greatest possible excitement, to yield themselves entirely — their intellect, their reason, their imagination, their belief, their feelings, their passions, their whole souls — to a single and new position, that is prescribed to them. Now, I do not deny, that in many — nor do I feel any interest in denying, that in most — of these instances, the individuals thus subdued, as it is commonly called, have h3 178 REASONS really been subdued to God ; that they are genuine con- verts. But after granting this, which is all that can be claimed by anybody, I must be permitted to express my distinct and deep conviction, that the mode of accomplish- ing this object is ever afterv^^ard injurious to these very minds ; injurious to society religiously considered ; and an obstacle in the way of the conversion and salvation of the greatest number of souls. It is injurious to these minds. Granting, that their hearts have been subdued to God, it is no less true, in most instances, that their minds, their reasoning powers, have been broken down by man. The intellect has re- ceived a shock by this extraordinary and violent treat- ment, which cannot easly be repaired. It is the very plan of this onset to subject XhQ mind as well as the heart. The theory of conversion, with this class of reformers, comprehends this scope, and is not fulfilled, till this in- tellectual bondage is attained. A narrow circle of think- ing and reasoning, in a few set and cant phrases, is pre- scribed to the converts, from which, if they ever venture to depart, they forfeit the proper character of Christians, and are considered as being actuated by abandonment of principle ; or by a return to their old ways ; or by con- formity to the world. The mind, reduced to such a bond- age, can never afterward be free — cannot be open to gen- eral cultivation and improvement. A false theory of Christian character is propounded and adopted ; a false conscience is formed and nurtured ; the intellect is en- slaved ; and the entire intellectual and moral character is vitiated, as compared with the highest and most desira- ble standard. A false theory of conversion is of course at the basis of all these defects : It is false in the minds of those who originate and manage these violent excite- ments ; and f'llse, as it becomes stereotyped in the minds of their converts. They allow nobody to be Christians, except by this rule. Whoever do not come into their way of thinking, and whose taste does not lead them to adopt the same cant phrases, when talking on the sub- ject of religion, are no Christians. They can deternune a person's Christian character at a glance, or by a word, or by an act, or by the want of some act. FOR EPISCOPACY. 179 Next, these violent excitements, and the violence thai is carried into them, are injurious to society religiously considered. It is impossible, that the mind of a commu- nity should remain long in such a state of excitement. Aware of this, it is a uniform device of those who get them up and who supervise them, to make the most of them — to push them to the greatest extreme. They re- gard it as a harvest time. And just in proportion as the public mind has been overstrained, will be the reaction. It will not simply fall back to a sober position, where it was before being excited, but it will retire into the oppo- site extreme ; and withal there will be left on it the pall of a morbid, painful, alarming indifference to religion. There will be a prevailing impression of the unhealthi- ness of the excitement, that is gone over, and a proportion- ate aversion ever to be acted on again in the same way. And consequently, in the third place, it will prove an obstacle in the way of the conversion and salvation of the greater number of souls. " The harvest truly will be past, and the summer ended." The pale and sickly mantle of autumn will throw its folds over the community ; and the chills, and frosts, and bands, and desolation of winter will succeed. Follow the train of these violent excite- ments, and see if it is not so. It is impossible it should be otherwise. The number of converts made by such violence — the general character of whom is far from be- ing most desirable — though that number may seem to be great for the time, is no compensation for the sad effects left behind, and for the removal of all prospect and hope, that religion can again very soon be made to claim the attention of such a community. It is very reasonable to believe — it is difficult not to be convinced and fully sat- isfied — that, in view of the evils resulting from such a course to the minds of individuals and of the public, a uniform career of faithful preaching and pastoral labour, on a scale that can be steadily maintained and applied, without coldness on the one hand or intemperate and violent zeal on the other, would, in the long run, be the means of converting and saving many more souls, than by these fitful and violent convulsions, so marked with extravagance and blind zeal. 180 REASONS Let it not be supposed — no, not for a moment— that these remarks have any reference to those outpourings of the Spirit of God, which have been experienced by the rehgious congregations of this land in former periods ; and which, I would fain hope, have not been altogether with- drawn. God forbid. But I refer exclusively to a sys- tem of measures of that specific character, which I have now been considering, so well known to have been re- cently and widely introduced into this country ; which seems to be based upon a theory, that can dispense with Divine influence, and substitute the power of man ; and which has so extensively changed the character and rev- olutionized the operations of the religion of this land. They are an entirely new^ state of thmgs ; they are, as seems to me, the work of man, and not of God. It may fairly be inferred from the spirit that is in them, and from the pretensions which they carry upon their face, that they claim to be the work of man. There is a broad phy- lactery on the forehead, a legible inscription on the front, of these enterprises : It all depends on our loill. And it may easily be believed ; it is sufficiently manifest. The peculiar and quick religious susceptibilities of the people of this land have been tortured upon this rack. That grand and bright development of Christianity, so hopeful of good to America and to the world, which Prov- idence had brought out in the favourable temper of our people towards religion, has been for a season eclipsed ; and is even now under a cloud. But it cannot long be so. Every great evil of this kind hath a providential remedy ; it carries along with it its own cure ; society cannot endure it. It only remains for the sober, the en- lightened, the pure, the truly zealous ministry of our dif- ferent denominatiens, who have seen and deplored these evils, and who have felt themselves threatened to be over- whelmed by them, along with the prostration of the gen- eral interests of religion — to arise, to assert, and to wield their own appropriate influence, in united, determined, and persevering efforts to drain the land of this tide of ruin, and to bring back the rehgious pubhc to their right mind FOR EPISCOPACY. 181 CHAPTER VI. The proper design and value of religious creeds in connexion with Church polity and government. I AM aware that the apparent drift and bearing of the topic here announced may seem at the first glance to be a gratuity in this place. But I have already suggested and openly conveyed in sundry forms, incidental and direct, that the use made of the comprehensive creed, comm.only called the Confession of Faith, in the practice of the highest authorities of the Presbyterian church, has been a subject of very grave difficulty in my own mmd, in connexion with other developments of our religious world. It has seemed to me also, that this practice is necessarily and rapidly forcing the whole Presbyterian denomination to a crisis, which must involve the con- sideration and discussion of the topic I have here brought to view, in a new and interesting light. It must now unavoidably and very soon be determined by the Presby- terian church, whether assenting to a common creed and confession of faith is tantamount in its authority over the conscience to our obligations of respect for the Bible ; or whether it is to be interpreted as a general expression of our behef in Christianity ; — whether it is to be apphed and enforced in whole and in particular — verbatim et literatim — by authoritative interpretation for the time being, which is of course accidental ; or whether it is to be regarded as a common and declarative standard of belief, liberally interpreted, in accommodation to that in- variable diversity of views, which has always character- ized all religious associations, however intimate the fel- lowship of the individuals composing them; — whether the practical design of a mutual Confession of Faith is to unite in one society for concert of action in promoting 182 \ REASONS the cause of Christ those Christians, whose rehgious be- lief is generally of the same type, and so nearly in coin- cidence as to afford a pleasant and profitable exercise of Christian charity in allowing some slight diversity of speculation, rather than being the occasion of distrust and offence ; or whether the principal object of a creed be to set up and authorize a perpetual inquisition over the minds of a Christian fraternity, and thus permit them the doing of little else besides. If I do not mistake in my observance of the symptoms of the time, this ques- tion is now to be tried and settled for a large portion of the religious public of the land ; and for momentously important and practical purposes. I think it morally impossible, in the train of recent events, that the Chris- tian community should not have thought much on this subject, and generally made up their minds. Inasmuch, therefore, as my own mind has been not a little influenced by this state of things in changing my religious connexion ; and inasmuch as I think it must and will be discussed in such a crisis, there may, per- haps, be some apology for my taking a part in it at the conclusion of this volume, so far as to present the sub- stance and results of my own reasonings on the subject ; nor can I see, that it is entirely alien to the general de- sign of these pages. The legitimate design and the exact measure of value of a mutual Confession of faith among Christians asso- ciated for the public purposes of a common Christianity, involving the question of the minuteness or generality of its specifications, is perhaps a problem yet to be solved. At the same time, that I have seen reasons for sympathizing to some extent with those who, on account of the abuses of creeds, have declared against the prac- tice altogether, except in a simple confession on the in- spired records, I have always rested in the conviction, that a common and mutual declaration of faith in that volume, under specifications sufficiently distinct and suf- ficient in number to comprehend and indicate the pecu- liar, fundamental, and leading truths of Christianity, aa FOR EPISCOPACY. 183 necessary to the ends of Christian fellowship, may be beneficial, and is in fact practically important. A simple profession of belief in tiie Bible may com- prehend all that is important to and obligatory on a Christian ; and it is no less true, that such a profession may be made by a man, who has not a single particle of belief in common with a Christian. It may embrace all the peculiarities of Christianity ; it may embrace any given parts of them ; or it may reject them all. The en- lightened, sincere, humble Christian says — I believe in the Bible ; and it may be, that his faith in that volume is well pleasing to God. Another Christian, less enlight- ened, but equally sincere and humble, says — 1 believe in the Bible ; and his faith too may be acceptable to God. He may have some error in his belief — and what uninspired man has not ] None of us can meas- ure nicely in any balance of our own construction the degree of error which a man may hold, and yet be saved. Two men may present themselves, both professing a belief in the Bible ; but one acknowledges Jesus Christ as God, and the other denies it ; or one believes in the doctrine of angels, of mind independent of matter, and of the resurrection, while the other is a sort of Sadducee, and rejects all the three ; or one believes in the neces- sity of a spiritual renovation by Divine influence, but the other does not ; and so on. Their diversity of belief, on the one side and on the other, may comprehend all the varieties that have ever been known in the history of Christianity ; and yet they both profess to believe in the Bible. This diversity may go even further. A man may profess to believe in the Bible, under such mental qualifications and reservations, as to make him out a deist — an infidel. When he comes to be examined, and the true character of his faith is developed, he says, perhaps, very frankly. Oh yes, I beheve in the Bible as I do in the Koran, or the sacred books of any other reli- gion ; as I do in any literary records, ancient or modern, religious or otherwise, according to their history, as asserting claims to my respect, be it more or less. 184 . REASONS It is evident, therefore, that a simple profession of be- lief in the Bible is so far from determining the character and measure of a man's faith, as a Christian, that it does not even decide whether he be a Christian or an infidel; a pagan or a Mohammedan. If, therefore, men are to associate together as Christians, and for Christian pur- poses, they must have some other terms of agreement, than simply that they believe in the Bibl'e. The posi- tion, therefore, that such a profession is sufficient, is a false one — false for the objects of Christian fellowship and enterprise. It is admitted on all hands, that there are distinct pe- culiarities in the Christian religion ; and it will also be admitted by tlie majority of Christians, that a profession of belief in this rehgion ought to be supported by a life that shall exhibit these peculiarities. " Ye are a city set on a hill ; ye are the salt of the earth ; ye are the hght of the world ; let your light so shine," &c. " Verily, verily I say unto you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he c?nnot enter into the kingdom of God." " Marvel not that I said unto you, Ye must be born again." " If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own," &c. " If any man be in Christ he is a new creature," &c. Some, indeed, have maintained, that the primitive sense of conversion implies only a coming into the Christian faith and system from Judaism, paganism, or any religious state uncongenial with Christianity. This may possibly be true, if the meaning be extended so far as to embrace a spiritual renovation of the mind and affections by the Spirit of God ; but not otherwise. Such evidently was the doc- trine of Christ and his apostles. The apostolic epistles evince throughout, that they maintained an inseparable connexion between the peculiarities of Christian faith and practice ; and that the practice is as peculiar as the faith. They evidently attached importance to the Chris- tian belief, as being influential over the heart, life, and manners — renovating individuals and renovating society. Christians are exhorted to " hold fast the form of sound FOR EPISCOPACY. 185 words :" to " hold fast the profession of their faith with- out wavering ;" to " contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints," &c. Departures from the faith are foretold, and the consequences, as being very disas- trous. The epistles of John, who lived to a great age, and witnessed numerous apostacies of individuals, and the decline of churches, are full of admonitions on the importance of a correct faith. The most remarkable development of his patriarchal character had a uniform bearing on this practical point. M. D'Aubigne's philosophical retrospect of the devel- opments of Christianity under the successive periods of the Christian era, as noticed in the previous chapter, if it be admitted to be worthy of respect, shows how much importance has always been attached to doctrine — faith — which came at last to be systematized ; and for aught that can be seen, with propriety, and for public conve- nience and advantage. All the inspired records seem to have been contrived to assert, develope, and guard a right faith. Indeed, Christianity would obviously be de- fective, if it were not thoroughly furnished with the ele- ments of doctrine concerning God, the Saviour, the de- sign of his mission, the character and wants of man, the method devised and the agencies employed for his recov- ery, the future state, &c. &c. History demonstrates, that Christians have always felt, and still feel — and the world has also been under the same impression — that the followers of Christ are to be distinguished by their faith and practice. They are a chosen and separate people ; and if separate, there must be some public, visible marks of separation. These con- sist primarily and formally in the right use and applica- tion of the sacramental ordinances by the proper ministe- rial authority. But the use of the ministry is not only to connect the church with the inspired records, as the source of its authority, but also as the fountain of reli- gious belief These records, since completed, are to the world simply a collection of literary compositions, satis- factorily attested as having emanated from the Divine mind. Yet, they are in truth literary records simply, in 16* 186 REASONS their palpable forms, the meaning of which is to be de- termined by fair and reasonable rules of exegesis ; and when rightly interpreted, they exhibit the elements of Christian faith. Although one passage of Scripture may throw light on another, within the range of the record, yet Scripture cannot interpret itself as a whole. That is to say, a creed cannot be constructed out of its own language solely, as the medium of conveying its meaning. For ex- ample : — If one or more passages of Scripture be cited to explain another, and so on, till the entire record is quoted, the student has been reasoning in a circle, and finds himself in the end just where he was when he be- gan, and no wiser as to the meaning of the whole. He is lodged in a truism, that the Bible is the Bible. This investigation may have increased his knowledge — and his knowledge of the records examined ; such must have been the result ; but it will have determined no matter of faith between him and a second person, as to what the Bible declares, or reveals. The inspired record alone and nothing more, in this round, will be before the public as common property ; and the question still re- turns — what is its meaning 1 Citing Scripture, therefore, to explain Scripture, cannot be a Creed, or Confession of faith. It is simply saying — We believe in the Bible. It amounts to this : — That other forms of language must be used and applied, as a commentary, or medium of exhibiting and conveying the sense of Scripture to a community of minds. Consequently, other forms of language must be used in a creed to declare and profess a common faith, deduced from and founded on the Scrip- tures. This needs no further proof. The Bible is replete with elementary principles of morals and rehgion, distinctly developed, yet running and melting into each other, as a beautiful and harmoni- ous whole, or system. It is not ordinarily deemed either important or convenient for a creed, designed as a stand- ard of Christian fellowship, and as a basis of concert in action and enterprise, to embrace every item of these principles ; but only, that it should be a summary of doc- FOR EPISCOPACY. 187 trine — a comprehensive statement of the great, funda- mental, and leadmg principles of Christianity. It is manifest, that there must be something of this kind to constitute a common ground to stand upon. Christianity is pre-eminently a religion of sentiment — a religion begetting decided, strong, ardent feeling. And the feelings thus produced are the result of two causes in their combined and concentrated action, viz. speculative views and Divine influence — the first instrumental and the last efficient. But the last cannot or will not act bui in coincidence with the light, which the first has thrown in upon the mind. The vhahty and power of genuine religious sentiment depend upon correct doctrinal views, or on a correct faith. For example : On correct viev/s of God, of Christ, and of the Holy Spirit ; of man in his primitive and fallen condition ; of the principle of atonement by the death of the Saviour ; of the Mediato- rial office ; of the office of the Spirit ; of the lost condi- tion of man, as an individual, and as a race ; of the ad- vantages to be gained by the use and application of the remedy, &c. The light of the Christian scheme, as a whole, bursting in upon the mind of man — supposing that he had none of it before — would be like the day that follows night. And it amounts to the same thing in the end, whether it comes at once, or whether it comes by degrees. It makes a new world — a new creation ; or rather opens on the mind the universe as it is, in con- nexion with its Supreme Head. Where all was dark- ness, all becomes light. It produces an entire new state of feeling, as compared with the necessary doom of man independent of such a system of redeeming agencies. But these impressions, these sentiments, these feel- ings, as being ardent and powerful, are awakened by the peculiarities of Christianity — by what it exhibits of God in relation to man in the scheme of redemption. Ob- serve what a transformation of character it produced in the Apostles, in the first Christians ; and what of the same thing it has done from that age to this, and is still doing. What motives must they be, that have produced such results ! And all this has depended and always !88 REASONS "? depends upon the views brought before the mind ; which become incorporated with the affections ; and which are habitually cherished. There may be a nominal Chris- tianity, which has no such power ; but its essence always produces the same effect. Christianity may be and has been adulterated ; and hence the importance, the neces- sity of keeping up its vitahty by a conventional " form of sound words ;" that is, by a suitable creed, imbodying the vital principles — the all-powerful elements of this religion. I know not, but the time may come when creeds may be dispensed with ; but in the present state of the human mind and of society it seems impossible. If, then, it may be considered as settled, that it is more convenient, if not necessary, for Christians to be asso- ciated under such an instrument, three or four important questions arise. First, how comprehensive shall it be ] Next, shall it be simply declarative, or also demonstra- tive and expository ! Thirdly, shall it be catholic, or sectarian 1 And lastly, ought slight deviations to be re- garded as worthy of disciplinary notice 1 First, how comprehensive shall it be ? I presume not to assume the office of advice and control, but merely use the privilege of declaring individual and private opinion. I think, then, that a creed, or confession of faith, (I use these terms as convertible, and in the broad- est sense), to be adopted by the Church of Christ, ought to be sufficiently particular to bring out distinctly all the essentials of Christianity, and sufficiently comprehensive to be used and appreciated by all classes. If it be not so constructed as to meet the first of these requisites, the grand design fails to be accomplished, viz. a mutual declaration, not only of our faith in the Bible as the word of God, but of those distinctive peculiarities and essential doctrines, which we are agreed the Bible teaches. A confession of faith on the Bible should not only determine, that those who adopt it are Christians in their belief, in distinction from a confession on the same records, which any philosopher or literary man might make, whether he be a Christian or not ; but it should also determine, on all essential points, our views of the FOR EPISCOPACY. 189 character and attributes of God ; of the character, work, and offices of Christ ; of the Holy Spirit ; of the char- acter and wants of man in relation to God and the Chris- tian scheme ; of what man was before the fall, of what he is since, and of the change required in him as a prep- aration for holy and useful living on earth, and for hap- piness in heaven ; of the future states of reward and punishment ; and of sundry other doctrines prominently revealed in Scripture, and practically important. It should be distinctly declarative of all the positive insti- tutions that are peculiar to Christianity, such as the con- secration of a seventh part of time to religious and holy purposes ; the Christian ministry and its appropriate of- fices ; the sacraments ; private, family, and public wor- ship ; private and public reading, teaching, and studying of the Scriptures ; matrimony and its laws ; family and civil commonwealths, with the peculiar rights and pow- ers of each, &c. The moral, perpetual, and univer- sal obhgations of the Decalogue, in all its parts and bear- ings, should have a distinct recognition ; as well also the obhgation of all parts of holy Scripture, strictly and purely moral, and of universal application. The two great and comprehensive laws of Christ, on love to God and love to man, should be made prominent. It may easily be seen, that the Church of Christ, as an organized society, bound together in covenant with God and with each other for private and public good, for the maintenance and propagation of Christian principles, and for tiae grand enterprise intrusted to her of subjugating the world to Jesus Christ, of " teaching all nations, and baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," would be defective without some public and distinct recognitions, as particular and comprehensive as these. These fundamental and grand principles should be set forth, as " line upon line, and precept upon precept." They should be a part of com- mon and universal education, public and private. Else, from the known depravity of man, the church would de- cline, and Christianity become a nullity, as to its hal- 190 . REASONS lowing and efficacious influences in renovating human character and human society. Secondly, ought a creed, or confession of faith, to be simply declarative, or should it go into proof and expo- sition 1 It will be apparent, that for the most common and popular uses of a creed, it cannot conveniently go far beyond the province of declaration. The proof and exposition more properly belong to the offices of public and private instruction. Indeed, a creed, strictly and properly, is nothing more than a declaration, or profes- sion, involving an appeal for proof and explanation to the record, on which it is founded. It may be proper and expedient for the church in her supervisory offices to construct, authorize, and publish such manuals of proof and exposition to accompany creeds, as may be needful to guide, assist, and perfect her members and the public generally in the study and knowledge of the Scriptures. But these can hardly be regarded as properly component parts of a creed, or confession of faith. Thirdly, should a creed be catholic, or sectarian 1 Of course, I use these words, catholic and sectarian, in the most catholic and enlarged sense, unless in application to the latter such a pretension should seem to be a con- tradiction in terms. There is something so narrow, so contracted, and so obnoxious to catholic feeling in the term sectarian, that one can hardly conceive of its hav- ing a very liberal signification. Both the word and its suggestions, it must be confessed, are alike unwhole- some. And if I and my readers are agreed in this, we shall also agree, without the trouble of argument, that a creed ought not to be sectarian. It is the most unsuit- able, most unbecoming place for the introduction of such a leaven, that can be imagined. It is the pest of indi- viduals, the pest of society, and the very poison of a creed. Nothing can be more offensive anywhere ; in a public and common declaration of faith in God's word, it is loathsome — it is a profanation of the most sacred things — a prostitution of that which is holy, and which ought to be kept holy, to the unhallowed ends of unhallowed ambition, or of some morbid and extravagant sentiment. FOR EPISCOPACY. lOf Let everyChristian sect enjoy their own sectarian peculiar- ities ; it is tlieir right so long as it suits them. Let them be incorporated and stand out in their chosen manuals ; to this there can be no objection. But for the honour of religion and the edification of the church, let them not appear in so holy and sacred a composition, as a solemn public confession of faith, declarative of the great and catholic principles of Christianity, ought to be. The form and terms ©f a common creed, as seems to me, ought to be as pure from such an ingredient, as the terms and form of a common and public prayer. It should be properly a devotional composition, calculated, whenever read or heard to assist devotion — to abstract the mind entirely from the regions and atmosphere of controversy, and to bring it in immediate contact with those funda- mental and prominent truths of revelation, which are so obvious, as to commend themselves to every mind, that is openly and honestly disposed to receive and cherish what God has spoken. Lastly, ought slight deviations from assent to each and every several item of a creed, that has numerous and minute ramifications, to be regarded as worthy of disci- plinary notice] This is a very important and practical question — a question which, perhaps, has made more disturbance in the Christian world than any other — a question, which has armed the papal inquisition with terrific powers — and which in all ages and countries dis- poses a hke disposition to tyrannize over the church of God. It is a practice on the affirmative of this question, which has to a great extent brought creeds into disre- pute — into absolute contempt. It is mistaking the legiti- mate design of a creed, and perverting it to the purposes of unholy ambition. I will not say, that there is no measure of deviation from a conventional and prescribed form of Christian doctrine, that should be visited with the admonitions and corrective eflforts of disciplinary authority ; but the les- sons of past, and I m.ay add, of present experience, ought to advise those, who are set to guard " the form of sound words" in the church of Christ, that deviation may b© 192 . REASONS : suspected where there is none ; that the degree may be aggravated by a misunderstanding ; that it is often inno- nocent when it is supposed to be injurious, or venial when it is pronounced to be criminal ; and that in all* cases of slight deviation, it is more easily corrected by kindness, by forbearance, and by gentleness, than by in- quisitorial severity. Doubtless, it is expedient, and more favourable to harmony of purpose, and efficiency of com- bined enterprise, that a comfortable uniformity in the re- cognition and acceptance of the cardinal doctrines of Christianity should characterize those, who are associ- ated under the same Christian denomination. But the theory is entirely false, that there can be no Christian fellowship, no harmony of general design, no concert of action, no union in the grand enterprise of converting sinners and evangelizing the world, without an exact uniformity of speculation and belief in regard to the minor details and more unimportant specifications of a common creed. So far is this from being true, that something like the very opposite can be demonstrated in every Christian's personal experience, and by bright and most cheering constellations of facts and events, which at this moment he thickly clustering and splendidly efful- gent on the map of the religious world. With those who approve of these institutions, and take an interest in them — which generally characterizes the American community — I might allude to the ex- periments and proofs of the age in which we live, as developed in the Bible, Tract, Sunday School, Tempe- rance, and various other societies, religious and humane, on the public platforms ofw^hich Christians of all creeds and of all sects have met together, shaken hands, recip- rocated the kindest and holiest charities, prayed together, pledged union, been happy, and, as they have confessed, more happy than ever before, by the discovery, in the experience of actual contact, that it is the cardinal prin- ciples of Christianity, and not the minor details of secta- rian creeds, which constitute the ground of Christian fel- lowship — which bind men to each other and to God. I .have no concern but that this appeal, and to other facts of FOR EPISCOPACY. 193 the same class, will be perfectly convincing — that it will be overwhelming against the opposite theory ; because I have the heart, the affections, the charities of every Christian on my side. What Christian in encountering — as who has not encountered — a Christian of another sect, differing very widely as was supposed — the very name of which, perhaps, from the prejudices of educa- tion, had been unpleasant — but meeting together provi- dentially, both parties courteous to each other in their manners, speaking kindly on topics where they differed, reciprocating affection on those in which they agreed, sympathizing on the grand principles of a common reli- gion, uniting perhaps in the worship of a common Father through a common Mediator and Redeemer — what Chris- tian, I ask, in such an interview and by such inter- course, has not felt the kindlings of a fraternal and holy affection, and at last found out, that he did not love such a brother, or confide in him the less, because they differed ; but that he actually loved him the more on that very account, found more pleasure in his society, and was more happy, because he had providentially dis- covered, that his previous impressions were wrong and unnecessary ; and that it is the image of Christ, beaming out from the mind, in the action of the affections, that constitutes the element of Christian union, and not any particular shapes and modes of speculative opinion 1 — We have here laid open before us a principle, which has numberless bearings, and which is always the same in all relations and conditions. Christians, on becoming ac- quainted and in the exercise of charity, where kindness of manners is properly exemplified, actually love one another more under different, than under the same shades of opinion. The philosophy of this I have nothing to do with ; it is the fact which I wish to develope. It is, however, doubtless an elementary principle of Christian affection — the same in God and the same in man — the same in Him who came down from heaven, in love for those who diffeied from him, to reconcile them by kindness, and to enjoy their gratitude and confidence ; the same, when he bears with their imperfections and 17 I 194 C REASONS errors, after they have been united to him ; and the same in every Christian's heart towards a brother, whom he finds worthy of his respect and esteem, under all other diversi- ties of character and opinion. The wider the difference, the greater the Saviour's love when he came to help us — to save us. And although the two cases aie not in every feature exactly alike ; yet for aught I can see, the principle is the same : — Christians who hope to meet at last in heaven, in the exercise of charity do not love each other the less, but rather more, because of some accidental and unavoidable differences of opinion here. God has ordained, that they shall have their happiness in the ex- ercise of such charity ; it is so ; they find it so. It is, therefore, throughout and radically a false posi- tion — entirely false — that a nice and exact agreement in the minuter specifications of a religious creed, is essen- tial to Christian fellowship, union, and enterprise. So far from it, these very differences, if charitably tolerated, may and will be the means of purer and more ardent affection, of higher degrees of fellowship, and are calcu- lated to unite Christians by stronger ties, to render more holy and more intense their laudable emulations, as well as to give greater efficiency to combined enterprises. If they are agreed in recognising the cardinal doctrines of Christianity, it is enough for these purposes ; I had almost said — I am indeed strongly inclined to the opinion, in the present imperfect state of knowledge, of society, and of human nature — that it is even better to differ more or less on minor and more unessential points, if it can be done charitably ; because these differences, leading to kind discussion, are calculated to elicit and ultimately to establish the system of universal truth. " In neces- SARIIS, UNITAS ; IN NON NECESSARIIS, LIBERTAS ; IN OM- NIBUS, CHARiTAS." In things necessary, unity ; in things unnecessary, liberty ; in all things, charity. Such is the spirit, and such, I will dare say, is the design of Christianity. Alas ! that it has been so badly exem- phfied ! The only possible apology, therefore, for an exact and rigid enforcement of the minute and more unessential FOR EPISCOPACY. 195 points of a religious creed, fails — and fails utterly. It is not necessary to Christian fellowship ; it is not neces- sary to union ; it is not necessary to combined enter- prise ; it is not necessary for any conceivable object, that is important, even if it could be shown to be desira- ble ; but it is unfriendly, pernicious, disastrous, in all its influences and bearmgs. It may indeed be questioned, whetlier it is within the limits of the proper design of a church polity and gov- ernment to make even very considerable deviations from the commonly acknowledged creed the subject of dis- ciplinary visitation; and ^ for the grand and practical reason, that the argument from history is at best very slender, that orthodoxy when possessed is ever main- tained, or when lost is ever recovered, by such a course. Nay, I am inclined to the opinion, that the argument from this source falls into the opposite scale. What has the church of Rome ever gained by the Inquisition, or by any other modes of enforcing the acceptance and currency of her orthodoxy ] What have any of the Reformed churches ever gained by the application of force, or any methods of discipline, direct or indirect, for the cause of their orthodoxy ? Did the church of Geneva do any good by it 1 Or the church of Scotland 1 Has the church of England ever been benefited by enforcing discipline on the non-conformists and Puritans ] Say, that the grounds of controversy, in this case, were for the most part politi- cal ; yet it was a principle, or principles contended for, as being of Divine authority. What was gained in the early history of New-England by enforcing orthodoxy '' and what is now likely to be gained in the Presbyteriai- church ? These certainly are very grave questions — questions which come to us trumpet tongued with the ad- monitions of history. It is a simple matter of fact, that every church under heaven, that has persevered in the enforcement of its orthodoxy, whatever it might be, has succeeded in — what ] In enforcing schism. What, then, shall we do 1 Submit to the invasions and encroachments of error, till truth be eradicated from the church, and banished the world I This questioa x3 196 REASONS seems at first sight to present a painful dilemma. But still the lessons of history are not to be despised. And further : God and his truth and his Spirit are worthy of respect. We may be assured, that God will not suf- fer truth to perish from the earth ; and if violence has ever and uniformly failed to maintain and promote it, the authorities of the church should pause before they resort to it, even though it were not objectionable in itself. But is not a resort to this source, for the pretended purpose of preventing evil, while sufficient power is lefr., a criminal distrust of Providence ] Of course, this power could not be used without being possessed ; and the possession of it proves, that' the major part of influ- ence in such an exigency is in favour of the orthodoxy contended for. The only question, then, in such a case, is — what is the best mode of applying that influence 1 Shall it be the argument of truth, depending on God 1 Or the argument of force, depending on man T This is the naked and simple question ; and if there be no ad- vice in history, and none in the nature of the case, why, then, the aulliorities of the church are at liberty, as we will suppose, to make an experiment. But the experi- ment is before us a thousand times told, and a thousand times at the end of that ; and I hardly need say, that it has left in its train little but sadness and gloom. Let the history of the Inquisition — let the fires of Smithfield and Oxford — and other like exhibitions, not confined to papal atrocities — not confined to European territories — tell the story. As an example of the redeeming influence, present and prospective, of a remnant of fidelity in one of the most prominent branches of Protestant Christianity, we have before us at this moment the instructive spectacle of the church of England. Allowing the w^orst of her case as a church and state institution ; that her clergy are for the most part the creatures of political men. feeling little or no concern for the maintenance of the pecufiar doc- trines of Christianity, and whose lives correspond with the influences which have installed them in their places ; yet is it felt, admitted, and believed, by the best and FOR EPISCOPACY. 197 most conscientious men — and my own opinion accords entirely with this judgment — that that church, under all these disadvantages, is fast reviving, returning to the orthodoxy of her creed, and recovering the primitive vitality of Christianity. The fidelity of her clergy is in- creasing both in respect to their number and influence every year. It is felt and believed — and I believe it — no well-informed Christian in England doubts — that she is destined by Providence to be thoroughly reformed and purified ; that she is even now rapidly advancing in this career. Suppose, that a zeal for reform in doctrine should at this moment take possession of the authorities of that church — and certainly they have need enough of it ; suppose, that her numerous clergy and communicants should be brought to the bar of their received and ac- knowledged creed, and tried by it ; how many of them would be acquitted ? How many of them would be con- victed of the various degrees of error from the purest orthodoxy down to infidelity in its worst forms 1 All these errors and all these corruptions are not only there, but they abound — abound in the ranks of the clergy and church dignitaries, and through all the grades of her communicants, from the highest officers of state and from the nobility down to the meanest subjects of the empire. If a thorough discipline should be set up and carried into that church, making the orthodoxy of her creed the stand- ard of trial, it would rend it in ten thousand fragments, leaving scarce a wreck behind. Of such a result, on such a contingency, there could not be a single doubt. Which course, therefore, would wisdom, and prudence, and con- science prescribe — to permit that church to go on in her career of reformation, maintaining her integrity, under the moral certainty, that she will by-and-by re- cover all that is desirable, and be prepared, in the majesty of her strength, combined with the purity of her ortho- doxy, to renovate that kingdom, and to throw out her in- fluence for the renovation of the world ; or to blight at once by a single blow every hope of such a result, by enforcing discipline on her present actual defections 1 17* 198 REASONS And if a mere remnant of fidelity can accomplish such a work, without the power of discipline, and against such a fearful odds of corruption — what could not the moral power of the Presbyterian church of the United States accomplish on the same principle, when her clergy and her communicants are so pure, that none can impeach the fidelity of their conscience, or the genered orthodoxy of their views 1 Will that church dare, in present cir- cumstances, and against all the admonitory lessons of history, so to distrust Providence, as to seize the sword of disciphne for deviations from her creed so slight, as to divide the whole church nearly in equal parts on the question, whether it be in fact a deviation, or a different mode of interpretation ; whether the subject in contro- versy be a question of philosophy or of fact ? Take the Protestant Episcopal church of the United States. It is commonly supposed, that there is no incon- siderable diversity of opinion in her own communion, both among the clergy and laity, as to her distinctive peculiarities, and also in regard to many items of faith common to themselves and other denominations. How far this suposition is well founded, I do not feel qualified to say. I neither affirm, nor deny. Be there more or less of truth in it, a reference to that church in this view is pertinent to my present purpose ; and I think it will be acknowledged as strikingly illustrative of the subject in discussion. But notwithstanding this diversity of opin- ion, affirmed to be great, we hear of no controversy there — none among her bishops, none among her clergy, none among her communicants ; and it may be presumed there is none of any consequence. Indeed, I am satis- factorily certified, that the Episcopal church is almost perfectly harmonious, and increasingly so. That the Episcopal church is fast rising in the im- proved character, purity, and efficiency of her ministry, and in the same points of character among the laity, I believe is universally felt and admitted ; and rising per- haps, faster than any other church. And it is supposed and believed to an equal extent, that in no Christian de- nomination of the country is there so great a diversity FOR EnscoPAcy. 199 of opinion about doctrines, church pohty, &c. But we hear of no disciphne on account of this diversity. Tlie probabihty is, that disciphne on these accounts would rend and break up the church. In tlie face of tliis diver- sity they are contented with the adoption and use of tiie Liturgy, which speaks the same language in the hands of every member, before every congregation, and in the mouth of every clergyman throughout the land. No clergyman disturbs the peace of his congregation because he imagines, or even knows, that some of his parish- ioners hold opinions different from his own. No bishop arraigns his clergy for diversity of opinion, although they are perfectly open and unreserved in declaring their opinions, even in the face of the diocesan. I have heard it, and been as much surprised as I was delighted at the freedom allowed, and at the perfect good nature and kindness with which such differences are discussed — the bishop himself assuming no more the airs of author- ity, than if he had none. The bishops also are harmo- nious among themselves, perfectly so ; harmonious in feeling, and unanimous in their economical measures ; although It is undoubtedly equally true, that their spec- ulations about doctrine, and their theories relating to church polity and government, are characterized by im- portant shades of difference. I am well certified, that it is getting to be more and more a recognised and practi- cal principle in the Episcopal church, to urge nothing in diocesses or General Convention, which cannot be car- ried with a tolerable degree of unanimity. Here, then, is another spectacle of a church rising and improving, maintaining universal harmony of feeling, and concert of action, at the same time that there is in fact a great, and in some instances a wide diversity of opinion on many points of doctrine and practice — a diver- sity which, if made a subject of disciplinary notice, would be sufficient to destroy the church. Is not this a lesson ? Is it not instructive \ Does it not prove, that an exact agreement, even in the main points of a common creed — and I may add, in some of the cardinal doctrines of Chnstianity — is not essential to harmony of feehng, to 200 REASONS Christian fellowship, to general union, to concert of ac- tion, to edification, and to efficiency of combined enter- prise ■? There is no church in the world, that has in fact so great a diversity of opinion in her own bosom, as the Church of England, and not a little of downright infidel- ity. And yet no one can reasonably doubt, that if she shall continue to let disciphne for opinion alone, and if her pious and faithful clergy shall bend all their efforts at a general reformation in heart and Ufe, with dependance on God and the power of his truth — and if the number of faithful clergy shall continue to increase, as they have done — that most important branch of Protestantism will ere long be redeemed from her past and present disad- vantages, and recover the primitive vitality of Christian- ity, so as to have it pervading and animating her whole communion. Nor is it less certain, that by attempting discipline for opinion, she would for ever blight all these prospects. Let it not be supposed, that in acceding to the opin- ion, that it would be inexpedient to introduce direct and punitive discipline to eradicate and expel corrupt opin- ions from the English church, in its present peculiar cir- cumstances, I adopt or advocate the principle, that tlie supervisory authorities of the church have no responsi- bility in maintaining its purity from such corruptions ; or that as a Christian pastor, I should not think it my duty to have regard to this object ; or that in any other rela- tion of supervision, which might in any supposable case belong to me, I could deem myself excused from such a care. Purity of doctrine and purity of morals, in the Christian church, are in all cases the prime and high ob- ligation of the ministerial office to maintain by all proper and legitimate means, and in the use of the best discretion. The question here at issue is simply. What treatment is due to a given case, and what in all proba- bility would be best for the interests of religion in such a case "? If an adversary should meet me, and deny the right of discretion, I should at once demur to his averment, and between me and him that would be the FOR EPISCOPACY. 201 end. The proverb, that circumstances alter cases, might be apphed here in all good conscience before God ; and in no case of the kind could an enhghtened conscience disregard circumstances. Were there no other examples in the world but these two, viz. the Church of England and the Episcopal Church of the United States, showing the comparative advantages of allowing a wide scope and great diversity to speculative religious opinions, yet are these on so large a scale and so important, as to be worthy of great respect and great influence for practical purposes. They are eminent, they are commanding, and they are also pos- itive. Were it convenient, I have no doubt, that others of the same class might be adduced. But these are quite sufficient, if we set over against them all the un- happy results, which lie scattered along the history of the church in all ages, as occasioned by authoritative attempts to enforce uniformity of religious thinking. Never — never has this been attempted without disaster ; cer- tainly, I think, never for good. When will Christians— when will the church be wise on this subject ? When will they learn to trust in God, in the simple energy of his truth, accompanied by the power of his Spirit 1 It remains yet to be seen, how much responsibility lies at the door of the church for multiplying schisms by attempting to enforce opinion. The human mind will never submit to it ; it cannot ; God never intended it should ; it is not desirable. Were man doomed to such a fate, he would be shut out from the pale of a moral universe, and fail to answer the design of his existence. He would no longer respect himself, nor be respected ; he would become the resigned, the doomed victim of ne- cessity. If I may presume to say it, the Christian world wants more philosophy — philosophy of mind and philosophy of observation. It has been cantingly said — We have too much philosophy — that it is philosophy which has done religion so much injury. This is a mistake. We want the philosophy of common sense — inductive — founded upon facts — growing out of observation. So i3 202 REASONS long as religion is propounded as a mystery — a thing not to be understood — not to be philosophized upon — so long it will be at war with common sense ; and so long, it may be expected, that attempts will be made to enforce its dogmas without allowing the privilege of thinking. In all ages tlie enforcement of religious dogmas has gone hand in hand with a consciousness, and often with a confession of not being able to explain them. A thing that can be explained need not be enforced ; there is no motive for it. But the dogmas of the Koran must be enforced ; so also must the superstitious dogmas of papal Rome ; and so is it sometimes imprudently attempted in certain sections of the Reformed Church. Some things have got into creeds, which are not quite plain, and which cannot easily be made so ; and the way to make them go down is to say and insist — you shall believe them, whether you can or not. And the greater the consciousness of a want of reason in them, the greater the fierceness to impose and enforce them. If they could be defended by clear and reasonable interpretations of the Bible, this anxiety would be wanting. A consciousness of strength on that ground would rely upon it solely. Ordinarily, the fierceness of religious controversy and the zeal and de- termination to impose religious dogmas may be measured very exactly by a consciousness of weakness in argu- ment. In such cases religion mounts up from the heart to the head, and instead of being a religion of the heart and conscience, it becomes a religion of the head and will — that unconquerable will, which nothing but the power of God can subdue — that will, whose first triumph is the subjugation of the mind of which it is a part ; and which then sets out on the fierce crusade of making victims of all unbelievers that may come in its way. When I suggest, that the claim to impose rehgious mysteries is not to be respected, I would not be under- stood as denying, that there are Bible truths, which can- not be comprehended. Doubtless there are many. So are there incomprehensible facts everywhere in the world of nature. We are surrounded by them. Nevertheless we admit them. Reason teaches us to receive and make FOR EPISCOPACY. 203 the best of them we can. But they are not mysteries in the sense in which I use the term. I mean by mys- tery a proposition, or dogma, which is at w^ar whh settled and known prmciples and with common sense — which is never the case with truths of revelation, however in- comprehensible they may be. Nor in advocating the use of philosophy in rehgion do I mean anything more, than being guided by induction — by a consideration of facts — and by the use and applica- tion of theories founded on facts. Anything that can be proved from the Bible I receive as a fact, or truth, or principle, &c., accordmg to the category, to which it belongs. In a consideration of the philosophy of mind, relating to our subject, I hold for example, what all ex- perience proves, that it is unphilosophical to attempt to enforce opinion ; and that the authorities of the church ought to have learned this long ago. Any attempt of this kind shows a censurable neglect of philosophic ob- servation. They should have learned also, that if any "who have gone before us have ever been so unphilosoph- ical, as to imagine, that the proper design of a creed is to make all, who agree to come under it, think exactly ahke, they adopted an impracticable theory — a theory, which was never yet sustamed by the actual state of any two minds. They should have learned, moreover, tliat Christians can love one another, can have fellowship, can unite, can act together, can do anything that Christ requires of them, even though they entertain diversity of religious opinions ; and that the way to make them hate, bite, and devour each other, is to imbue them with the notion, that the first duty of Christians is to bring about a universal harmony of opinion, and to engage in the task with unflinching determination by a direct and positive, and if needs be, compulsory effort. They should have learned, that the only proper and legit- imate design of a creed is, that it should be a compre- hensive, declarative, suggestive, and devotional manual — not binding on the conscience, as the Bible is — but a help to keep alive in the pubUc mind a knowledge of the.- Bible, especially of its elementary and practical truths ; 204 REASONS i and that discipline for not understanding, or not ac* knowledging the whole of a creed, or for entertaining diversity of opinion respecting some of its declarations or suggestions, is as preposterous as to discipline a man for a physical impossibility ; because, it is no more than charitable to admit, what is a simple matter of fact, that knowledge of the Bible, as of anything else, is acquired by degrees ; that different members of the community are found in all its stages ; and that it is a physical im- possibihty for all of them to see exactly alike. I have intimated, that the responsibility of schisms in the church of Christ rests more than what is commonly miagined on the vice of attempting to enforce a perfect uniformity of religious belief. Indeed, it seems to me that history will demonstrate, that it rests almost entirely here. And moreover, it has filled the Christian world with uncharitableness ; for nothing produces this effect so certainly and so sadly, as to be driven off from a religious connexion by such a cause. It has made our land literally to swarm with religious sects. No part of Christendom has been so prolific in this product, as our country. It might almost be said to be our religi- ous staple. This land of freedom has in this particular proved most intolerant ; and intolerance has multiplied schisms like the locusts of Egypt. It will be a curious item in the philosophy of history, and not a little credit- able to him, who shall, at some future time, clearly de- velope the successive modifications and operations of this moral cause, which has been so active and powerful in the progress of our community. Just at this moment, another grand explosion seems ready to burst upon us, and the Presbyterian church of the United States is in all probabihty to be rent in twain, if not broken into several fragments, by this same cause. I am aware it will be said, and no doubt honestly felt by those who advocate the rigid enforcement of creeds, that all this is because we have been too lax — because we did not begin soon enough. We have suffered the enemy to come in and take possession of our citadel, and now we must expel him by force. All this loose- FOR EPISCOPACY. 205 tiess of doctrine, and all these extravagances and irreg- ularities are owing to our neglect of discipline. It is not easy to convince those who see with suc-h eyes, that this statement does not develope the connexion of cause and eflbct — that the consequence deplored has a very different relation. If I have not already sug- gested, in a former part of this volume, the real causes of these misfortunes, there is hardly space left for me to traverse that field again ; nor am I in the mood for it. In one word I may say — that to my mind the causes seem these three : First, the great religious susceptibility of our community, which under proper cultivation and guidance would be a most interesting and hopeful fea- ture ; next, an element, which has ever been found among us, tending to sudden irruptions of undisciplined and wild enthusiasm ; and last, the unhappiness and inadequacy of ecclesiastical organizations. I must be excused for suggesting the last, as it is a conviction as honest as either of the others. I do not insist, that any should concur with me, to wdrom it is not agreeable. I find in these causes and others akin to them, enough to afford a complete development of our religious history in these particulars, without resorting to the neglect of enforcing religious creeds. It is a singular fact, that these two extremes, viz. a boast of religious freedom and a persevering effort to strangle it, should have characterized the religious his- tory of this country. Is it indeed true, that they, whose fathers once suffered for want of religious freedom, should make the attempt to guard the right w^ith such muaiments, and defend it with such determination, as to become in turn the oppressors 1 Is it indeed true, that the power of creeds, in asserting what has been forbid- den, has itself become the forbidder and constrainer, and with the presumptuous hand of an Uzzah, taken rash hold of that sacred deposit, which God claims to have in his own keeping 1 That great Protestant principle — the Bible, and nothing but the Bible — seems not yet to have been well understood by all Protestants ; but the anxiety of every sectarian to defend and enforce his own inter- 18 206 REASONS pretations of the sacred volume inclines him to trample this principle under foot. He does not believe in God, in the Bible, in Christianity and its appropriate agencies, who betrays an anxiety so excessive for the acceptance and sway of the inspired volume, according to his own constructions, as to insist on bemg the sole interpreter. In such instances, the vitality of Christianity is aban- doned, for the sake of keeping in order its vestments ; the germ is stifled by putting iron bands on the shell ; the will is gratified at the expense of the affections ; and the fabric is threatened with demolition by a strife as to who shall be its keepers. Man assumes to stand in the place of God. It is most important to be observed, that the grand historical developments of the human mind are always in mass, whether the subject be religion, politics, or what- ever ; and that in the treatment of it, this high and com- manding consideration ought not to be overlooked. Nar- row and contracted views, and plans of operations based upon them, will necessarily prove unfortunate. If, for example, there appears at one time a manifest develop- ment of the general mind in a strong tendency towards any one capital religious error, with a corresponding train of minor errors, the treatment which we should prudently adopt towards an individual mind so inclined in humouring, guiding, and controlling it, till we might see it again established on safe ground, instead of treat- ing it rashly and rudely, and driving it farther into error than it was itself disposed, and perhaps confirming it there for ever — is the very kind of treatment which should be adopted towards the general mind in such a predicament. It should not be assumed at once, that orthodoxy and the world are all going to ruin, and a cry of alarm raised, that shall frighten or tempt the public into the very position feared ; or remedies so severe ap- plied, as to drive them into it. There are large portions of the mind of this country firmly and permanently lodged in error by this very means, from which they might have been rescued, if they had been treated more FOR EPISCOPACY. 207 prudently and tenderly. God has adapted mind and truth to each other in favourable circumstances, when the mind is exempt from passion, and addressed by proper means ; and there is no fear of the final result, unless the mind is in some way abused. There is empiricism in morals and religion, as well as in medicine and politics ; and one of the greatest evils of our country is false alarm, and the manufacture and recommendation of nostrums to meet the exigences. This has lately been a grand development of the public mind — a laste for entertaining alarm, which begets a cor- responding multiplication of agencies to meet the demand. The consequence has been, that the mind of the country has been ridden by so many hobbies of reformation, that it has become completely jaded — worried out ; and the next development about to come, will be a demand for a breathing time. Extremes lead to extremes. If the pubhc mind is seen running furiously one way, the spec- tator has only to stand still, and he will soon see it chasing back, somewhat tired, it may be, but with a strong tendency to go too far the other way. God for- bid, that we should make sport with human nature, our- selves being a part of it ; but I confess I can hardly re- press the smile of increduhty while I am drawing a picture which everybody will recognise. Verily, we want more philosophers — Christian, conscientious phi- losophers, of cool, temperate, discerning minds, with suf- ficient decision of character and energy of purpose to keep things steady. It is now more than twenty years since I have been accustomed to hear with no little respect, till at last it has become a stale, worn out cant : We are all going to ruin I For my part, I don't believe it. And if it were indeed so, I would rather run at last, like the frightened partridge, put my head under a leaf, and die at a single blow from an invisible hand, than be in a perpetual state of alarm. What can be more ridiculous ? Was ever a people more prosperous — and, bating these morbid ex- citements, more happy ? Did ever a people have more of temporal or of eternal good within their reach 1 And yet 14* 208 REASONS FOR EPISCOPACY. must we be doomed to encounter everywhere troops of reforming and itinerating empirics, who compel us to hear them say — If you don't do this, or that ; if you don't join this society, or the other, we shall all go to ruin ! The alternative of every one's nostrum is — ruin ! He brings in his own made-up statistics, reports, and certificates, and proves it. Alarm has become a trade in the community, and the love of excitement the appe- tite that supports it. The Romans have come in to pos- sess the land ! To your posts and watch towers, Israel ! THE END. INTERESTING WORKS PUBLISHED BT HARPER & BROTHERS, In 3 vols. 18mo., with Engravings, Maps, &c., THi: HZSTOnV OF THE JUVTB. From the earliest Period to the Present Time. By the Rev. H. H. MILMAN. In 2 vols. 18rao., with Portraits, THE LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE. By J. G. LOCKHART, Esq. In one vol. 18mo., with a Portrait, By ROBERT SOUTHEY, LL.D. In one vol. 18ino., with a Map, THE LIFE AND ACTIONS OF By Rev. J. WILLIAMS. In 2 vols. 18mo., with numerous Engravings, THE NATURAL HISTORY OF INSECTS. Interesting Works In one vol. 18mo., By JOHN GALT. In one vol. 18mo., with Engravings, Founder of the Religion of Islam, and of the Empire of the Saracens. By Rev. GEORGE BUSH. 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