)

SERIOUS and RESPECTFUL
ADDRESS
• TO THE CLERGY.

ON THE SUBJECT OF APPROBATING AND ORDAIN
ING CANDIDATES FOR THE MINISTRY.

by ^lohn CEDtoarDfon,
hi

f/ffr JJ>. c/'i e,, £/}*£}. &*>££ .J

'? A N

" I fpeak as unto wife men ; judge ye what I fay.-"

BOSTON,
PRINTED BY RUSSELL AND CUTLER.
l801.

A:
¦ E.

TO THE CLERGY.

GENTLEMEN,
1 HE following obfervations are addreffed to
you, for two reafons ; firft, That a remedy for the
evils, of which they complain, is exclusively within
your power ; and fecondly, It is prefumed, that you
feel a greater intereft in the fuccefs of the chriftian re
ligion, than any other order of men.
the fuccefs and refpe&ability of our common
faith, unqueftionably, depend, under God, on the
character, abilities, and virtues of the Clergy. It
would be little fhort of a miracle, Ihould religion re
tain its refpeftability and influence, under a Clergy
ignorant and licentious. And where the Clergy are
of an oppofite character, where they poffefs good un
derftanding, found erudition, and gofpel piety, it does
not admit of a rational doubt, that God will beftow
fuch degrees of his own fpirit, as are fufficient to give
fuccefs to their miniftry.
the generality of the American Clergy, efpecial-
ly, thofe of New-England, are men of clean hands,
and of courfe, we prefume, they have pure hearts. In
point of moral character, they would not fuffer, it is

( 4 )
believed, in a comparifon with the Clergy of any
country, and of almoft any age.
in literary refearches, our country cannot, in
deed, pretend to an equality with the land of our
fathers' fepulchres : but a very refpeftable proportion
of the literature, which we have, is found among
thofe of ecclefiaftical profeffion.
it is the devout wifh of the author of thefe ob-
fervations,- that the Clergy may increafe in all amiable,
ufeful, and refpeclable qualities. He will never envy
that influence, how great foever it may be, which
originates from their erudition, their morals,and piety.
that the Clergy may increafe, in refpectability,
and that, through them, the religion of christ may
obtain a more extenfive prevalence, there is one cau
tion of peculiar importance and urgency. It is this,
Let none be admitted to the facred profeffion, but men, whofe
characlers are refpeclable for natural endowments, literary
acquirements, and ferioufnefs of difpofition.
the refpectability of an office is proportionate to
its importance — to the influence, which it has on the
convenience, happinefs, and improvement of mankind.
It is, therefore, extremely clear, that a high degree of
honour is attached to the office of a Clergyman, in it
felf confidered. The religion, which he explains and
inculcates, endeavours to eftablifh the human mind in
all uprighinefs and moral virtue, and to prepare it for

( 5 )
endlefs improvement, and increafing felicity, in a fu
ture world. But I conceive that an honourable office,
does not neceffarily confer honour on the perfons who
hold it, and whether it fhall do this or not, depends
on the manner, in which this office was obtained.
I never conceived that there was any honour in the
protectorfhip of Cromwell, or the didfatorfhip of Cae
sar ; but efpecially, not in an office, which any man
may affume at pleafure, and the affumption of which,
implies neither abilities, virtue, nor evenaddrefs. Aman
who poffeffes neither of thefe, will really be lefs refpect
able in office than he was before, becaufe the impor
tance of his office will render his deficiencies the more
apparent. it may, doubtlefs, be fuitable and prudent to
render an external refpeft, (and no other will ever be
rendered) to a weak, or a wicked man, on account of
the importance of his ftation. But this external re-
fpedt is founded, entirely, on the prefumption, that,
in general, the office will be filled by able and good
men. The office fuppofes fome good qualities in them
who hold it. It is prefumed, that none will be put in
office, but fiich, whofe abilities point them out as able
to fulfil its duties. But when an- office is affumed at
pleafure, and no abilities, learning, or virtue, are necef
fary to fuch a difcharge of its duties, as meets with
general approbation, the office, however honoura
ble, in itfelf, ceafes to confer honour on them who

( 6 )
Tiold it. I honour a Judge, becaufe I believe that a fta-
tion of fuch great importance and refponfibility, will
be filled by men of talents and uprightnefs ; and,
though I may fee fome inftances to the contrary,
they are not fufficient to fubvert a general rule. I
honour a Clergyman for the fame reafon. But fhould
it ever appear that any man may affume thefe places,
at pleafure, and that no moral nor intellectual qualifi
cations are ufually connected with them, I will ceafe
to honour a Judge or a Clergyman. If the Clergy
fliould approbate and ordain, indifcriminately, with
out inveftigation as to the moral, religious, and litera
ry acquirements of thofe, who are candidates, the
name of a Clergyman ceafes to be connected with any
honour. the prefent is a peculiar era, in politics, philofo-
phy, and religion. It is a day of the world's madnefs.
It is confidered as a mark of peculiar genius, to inno
vate, revolutionize, and fubvert. We affe<ft to pity
the ignorance of our predeceffors. We laugh at the
" Lilliputian ties" which were once of fufficient
ftrength to control and regulate the paflions of men.
The religion of our fathers was fuperftition, their gov
ernment tyranny, their philofophy weaknefs, and .their
whole fyftem of education wrong from the very bot
tom. We muft legiflate on different principles, and
if we moralize at all, it muft be to prove, that there is
no fuch thing as morality. Our youth muft be
taught, not to fear God, but to believe that there is

( 7 .)
no God to be feared ; not to govern their paflions but
indulge them ; not to live foberly, but to ridicule fo-
briety. Our literary tafte is vitiated and debauehed.
We avoid books of plain fenfe and found learning,
and relifh none fo well as thofe, which inflame the
paflions, corrupt the heart, and entice and captivate by
an overftrained refinement of fentiment and " harlot
ry of ftyle." Even the youth, of the female fex, read
and vindicate, without blufhing, a book writtdh by
an abandoned woman, in which, even the appearances
of chaftity, and the decencies of converfation, are de
clared to be the refult of weaknefs and folly. They
devour up novels, in every page of which, their hon
our and religion are infulted.*
the probability of a renewed intercourfe with
France, affords us very little reafon to expect, that the
face of things fliould be fpeedily altered for the better.
If there be an organized oppofition to the Chriftian
faith, there will, hereafter, be fewer obftacles to its
free operation in this country .+
* Time has been, when female reading was reftrifted to books of
decency and good morals. Two forts of men have, of late, brought
off the younger part of that fex, from a practice fo rigid : I mean
rakes and infidels.
f Since writing the above, I have received the following intelli
gence :- —
" The firft number of a blafphemous periodical publication, has
juft been iffued in the city of New-York, by one Drifcoll, entitled
" The Temple of Reafon." The declared objedt of the editor of this
work, is to attack the dodtrines of Chrift." Columb. Cent.

( 8 )
at fuch a time, it is peculiarly important that
the Clergy fhould feel the dangers and the duties of
their ftation ; that they fhould confider themfelves as
fet for the defence of the Gofpel, and for the fupport of
good manners in civil fociety. Their duty is to be
firm, perfevering, and inflexible, tojlandin the evil day,

Gracious Heaven ! Is this a time to fend out weak, and unlearn
ed men to preach the gofpel !
Non tali auxilio, nee dtfenforibus iflis
Tempus eget. Virg. Mil. L. 2. 521.
A few years fince, the publications of Profeffor Robifon, and the Abbe
Barruel excited juft alarm in the public mind. But we have fallen
back to our former lethargy. It fhould be remembered that the fpirit
of anarch)', revolution, and impiety never fleeps. It takes advantage of
our fancied fecurity. // is ths peflilence walking in darknef, and unlefi we
aroufe from our {lumbers, it will become the deftruclion 'which luajleth at
noon day. As a conclufive proof of which, I would mention the in-
creafing prevalence of Jacobin principles. Who fufpefted, two years
ago, that there would be even a chance for Mr. Jefferfon's elec
tion ? From what caufe has his election been rendered probable ?
What occafioned, in feveral inftances, the omiffion of federal repre-
fentatives to Congrefs, and the election of men of different politics ?
There have been no events in Europe, and no obnoxious meafures
of our government, from which fuch a change would naturally pro
ceed. This change has, undoubtedly, been effected by mere dint o£
induftry, and of fyftematical operations on the fide of felf-ftyled re
publicans. We cannot doubt but that part of the defign of the
Grand Confederacy, which refpedts religion, has been preffed for
ward, with the fame unremitting energy, as that which refpefls poli
tics, while an adminiftration fimilar to the prefent, is continued,
this Confederacy will be depreffed and kept down, though not- ex
terminated. But fhould the adminiftration of the national govern
ment be changed, and fall into the hands of Mr. Jefferfon, and men
like Mr. Jefferfon, thofe who have combined againft the Lord and
againft his anointed, will take meafures of lefs caution and refe-rve.
The myftery of iniquity doth already 'work, enly he that now letteth 'will let*
until he be taken oat ofthe <way. Whofo hath ears to hear let him hear.

( 9 )
and having done all to Jland. At fuch a time, it would
be, in a high degree, dangerous to countenance the
introduction of any into the miniftry, but fuch, who
poffefs the difpofition and ability to fight the good fight
of faith. give me leave to enquire, whether the examina
tion of candidates for the miniftry, have not become
unwarrantably fiiperficial, both as to their religious
character, and their literary and theological acquire
ments ?
iT has an unfavourable effect on the intereft of re
ligion for young men of profane and diffolute lives,
to enter into the facred profeffion, without fome very
ftriking alteration in their views, their feelings, and
character ; and without fome pretty vifible teftimony
of regret and felf-abafement for paft offences. For a
perfon of this defcription, to become truly religious,
is a great change indeed ; and to fay the leaft, it is
extremely to be defired, that this change fhould be
evinced by fome better evidence, than, barely, atten
tion to decency, and abftinence from former immo
ralities. It is of confequence, that a Chriftian minifter
fhould have a good report of them that are without.
but certainly the appearance oi prefent piety 3s al
together indifpenfable. If religion be worth preach
ing, it is worth poffeffing ; if it be neceffary to the
c

hearer, it is to the preacher. And unlefs a man be
deeply and rationally convinced of the divine origin
of the Chriftian Gofpel ; unlefs he be deeply impref-
fed with thofe reprefentations, which the Gofpel gives
of human life, and the confequences, which are con
nected with it ; unlefs he be refolutely determined to
lay hold on eternal life for himfelf, and to ufe his beft
endeavours to bring others to the fame felicity, he
will not be contented with that humble mediocrity,
I had almoft faid, poverty, beyond which the Clergy
are forbidden to look ; he will be unable to brook
the numerous reftraints and felf-denials, which pru
dence and a regard to religion require ; he will be
unable to refift the temptations of wealth and honour,
the contempt of the proud, and the ridicule of the
profane, the ftupid, or the unbelieving.
i do not mean, by this, to recommend a practice,
which is faid to prevail, among fome very refpe&able
Clergymen, of afking the candidate what his views
are, in preaching ; and whether he be regenerated, or
not. Thefe queftions, to be fure, are of infinite con
fequence, in themfelves, but what, conceivable purpofe
can be anfwered by propofing them to a candidate ?
If a -man's views be bad, will he tell you of it ? If you
fufpect a man's honefty, in cornmon things, do you
afk him, in order to remove your doubts ? Do you
give great credit to the teftimony, which a man bears
concerning himfelf ? Would any man prefent himfelf

( II )
for examination, who was determined to declare, be
fore an ecclefiaftical council, that he thought himfelf a
finner ? Were I to prefent myfelf before a bifhop, or a.
council of Clergymen, to take orders, or to obtain ap
probation for the miniftry, would it be poffible that
he, or they, fhould be more fatisfied as to my inten
tions, becaufe I had given them a favourable account
of myfelf, and had declared that my only object in de-
firing to preach, was to batter down, and trample un
der foot the kingdom of sat an ?
it is, without queftion, a matter of mighty con
fequence, that fuch as enter on the facred profeffion,
fliould have their hearts fully fet in them to be on the
Lord's fide. But whether or pot, this be the cafe with
any one, muft be determined by his habits of life and
general converfation. Judging in this way, it is true,
men may be deceived, but an error, which arifes from
the imbecility of human intellects, will never be con
fidered as a crime.
a candidate ought, unqueftionably, to know what
kind of religion that is, which he undertakes to
preach. He fliould have a clear and diftinct knowl
edge of the appropriate do&rines of the Chriftian
Faith. He fhould perceive, and be able to exprefs his
perception of, the vaft and ftriking difference between
Chriftianity and every other religious fyftem. There
are no motives, fo well calculated to promote fcripture
piety, as thofe motives, which the fcriptures exhibit,.

( 12 )

And a perfon who underftands thefe facred writing's*
will obferve a ftrong connection between the difcrimi-
nating doctrines of Chriftianity, and that morality and
piety, which it requires. If he underftand thefe doc
trines, he will be able to fet before his hearers the beft
motives fo a virtuous life.
in this age of corruption and unbelief, whefr
fuch various meafures are taken, to unfettle the faith
of men, and to fubvert former principles, the Clergy,
of all men in the world, fhould be always ready to give'
an anfwer to every one that ajheth a reafon of their hope in
the Gofpel. If the reading of infidel books, if deiftical
cotiverfation, or a man's own reflections have fuggeft-
ed to him, any difficulties in revelation, or the poffi-
bility of its being not true, to whom fhould he apply
fo readily, as to the Clergy ? He will prefume, with
reafon, that as they are fet for the defence of the Gof
pel, they muft be well acquainted with the grounds
and reafons of the Chriftian Faith. If they be unable
to remove reafonable doubts, and to give a good and
rational account of their belief in Scripture, he will
ftippofe that the fault is in the fubject itfelf, and that
Chriftianity is incapable of a good defence.
if there be one fubject, on which candidates for
the miniftry, fhould be examined with fevere fcruti-
ny, it is the divine authority of the facred writings.
When Clergymen approbate young men for the min-

( i3 )¦
iftry, without a fcrupulous examination on this fub
ject, they do it at their own peril, and at the peril
of the church. To what purpofe do you refer the in-
quifitive fceptic, to the prophecies of the Old Tefta-
ment, or the miracles of the New ; unlefs you fhew
him, at the fame time, that the prophecies were cer
tainly delivered before the correfponding events took
place, and that the miracles, which you mention, were
certainly wrought ? To what purpofe do you refer
him to the rapid and fupernatural fpread of the Gof
pel, unlefs you be able to inform him what the ftate
of the world was, when Chriftianity was at firft
preached, and the mighty obftacles, which this re
ligion had to furmount ?*
there are fome Clergymen of good intentions,
and I believe, of good underftanding too, who are fo
.pleafed with a young man's apparent piety, as to dif
penfe, too readily., with intellectual and literary en
dowments. They believe him ferioufly engaged in
religion, and that much may be accomplifhed by his
religious zeal. To be ferious and hearty in the caufe
of religion, is, doubtlefs, a quality of high confe
quence ; but it is not every thing. Let the difpofition
of a foldier to fight, be ever fo great, it avails nothing
while he has no weapons, or no ftrength to ufe them.
* How a knowledge of all thefe fubjeifts can be obtained, in thc
fhort time, which fome young ,men employ in theological ftudies, J
mix totally ignorant.

( 1.4 )
It is true, that a weak or an ignorant man may poflir
bly be the occafion of doing good. But there is more
than an equal chance of his doing much hurt. By
his inability to defend the Scriptures, he may create
infidels even among perfons well informed ; and one
infidel of underftanding and activity, is of more inju
ry to the caufe of Christ, than a dozen finners of or
dinary growth.
by remaining ignorant of the evidences, on
which the Gofpel is fupported, a man, at the prefent
day, incurs umifual guilt, as well as danger ; fince the
means of information, on this fubject, are numerous,
and eafily obtained. To perfons who have any know
ledge of the " Purfuits of Literature ," it will be a fuffi
cient recommendation, of the following catalogue,
that a writer of fuch immenfe genius and literature,
has propofed it. " If," faid he, ic- the reader is difpof
ed to attend to the fuggeftions of a very private layT
man, on this fubjeft, I think he would find great ad
vantage, in ftudying and confidering the following works
in Englifh, (which are very few in number,) and in
the order, in which they are arranged, i . A view of
the internal evidences of the Chriftian religion, by
Soame Jennyns, esq^ 2 . The evidences of Chriftian
ity, in three parts, by W. Paley, d. d. 3. Grotius,
on the truth of the Chriftian religion, in any tranfla-
tion. - 4. The evidences of natural and revealed reli
gion, by Dr. Samuel Clarke. 5. Mr. Locke's rea-

( i5 )
fonablenefs of Chriftianity, particularly, the latter part
x>f the tract. 6. Bifhop Kurd's introduction to the
ftudy of the Prophecies. 7. Lord Lyttleton's dit
fertation on the converfion of St. Paul, and 8. Dr.
Butler's analogy of religion, natural and revealed, to
,the conftitution and courfe of nature. From thefe few
volumes, if they are ftudied with care, and an upright
intention, I think it may be faid, that, " They fliall
fee, to. whom, he w^s not (before) fpoken of ; and
they that have not (before) heard, fhall underftand."
it is to be obferved that this catalogue is ex
tremely fhort, when compared to that, which was re
commended by the learned Warburton, and which
he confidered " as only an introduction to the ftudy
of theology," it cannot be queftioned, that West's differtation
on the refurredtion of Jesus Christ, Paley's Hor-
aje Paulin^e, and Priestley's lectures on the Jew
ifh religion, may alfo, be read to much advantage.
how well the knowledge, which muft neceffarily
be obtained by a careful perufal of thefe books, cor-
refponds with that degree of information, on this fub
ject, which is ufually required in a candidate for the
miniftry, I leave to the determination of thofe, by
whom candidates are ordained. I pray God, the cen-
fures, which have been heaped on Englifh Bifhops,
may never be deferved by the American Clergy.

YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

3 9002 09863 0941

( 16 )
" Our learned bifhops one would think
Had taken fchool-boys from the rod,
And made embaffadors of God."
Again,
''• From fuch applies, 0 ye mitred heads,
Preferve the church ! and lay net carelefs hands
O'nfculls that canntt teach, and •witl not learn." Cov, PER.
-?heke is higher authority, however, for the cau
tion, we have been fuggefting ; authority, which, of
all men, the Clergy will be the laft to controvert. Lay
hands fudde nly, on no man : not on a novice. The things,-
tvhich thou hnjl heard of me, before many witnejfes, the
fame commit thou to faithful nun, who are able to teach
others aj'fo. I wifh thefe paffages might be a little
itudied. should any of thc Clergy take the trouble of
reading the foregoing obfervations, they certainly
t'car.not doubt the author's intentions. However they
may regret, that the execution has not fallen into abler
hands, they cannot poffibly fuipect, but that his defign-
is, to promote the caufe of Christ, and his minifters,-
And to be, in any meafure, inftru^nental of promot
ing fuch an end, will be. to him, the richeft mead, and'
the moft enviable honour.

^•/ §

fJ*%i(jeasSV