RIGHT HONOURABLE SAMUEL WILSON, LORD MAYOR; THE WORSHIPFUL THE ALDERMEN, THE RECORDER, THE SHERIFFS, AND THE COMMON COUNCIL, OF The City of London; THIS SERMON, PREACHED IN THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST. PAUL, On SUNDAY, the TWENTY-FIRST day of APRIL, 1839, AND PRINTED AT THEIR REQUEST, IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY THEIR FAITHFUL SERVANT, THE AUTHOR. 1 CORINTHIANS XI. part of verse 24. 66 THIS IS MY BODY." THE Church of England-that branch of Christ's Holy Catholic Church which is established amongst us, exists in the twofold character of CATHOLIC and PROTESTANT.* PROTESTANT, as the witness on the one hand against the Pope of Rome and his clergy, for their corruption of the pure Word of God; their abuse of Christ's Holy Sacraments, and their pretension to universal authority; and on the other, against all Sectarians, carnally† assuming the names of their founders, and all heresies which are contrary to the Word of God and his true religion. CATHOLIC, as the congregation of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Pillar of the Truth, the Defender of the Faith ONCE delivered to the saints, and at ALL times received by ALL the faithful, in ALL places, the Keeper of the seals or testimonies, as well of human redemption by the death of Christ, as of spiritual regeneration by the Holy Ghost, and the Dispenser of these Sacraments, and of spiritual ministrations according to the Word of the Lord. Possessed of the Holy Bible, without the least pretension to infallibility, the Church, which is "a witness and keeper of Holy Writ," must needs be its best interpreter. It is thus, while we acknowledge, that "Holy Scripture contains all things necessary to salvation,"§ we also admit, that "the Church hath authority in controversies of faith."|| * Dr. Hook's Visitation Sermon, third edition, page 66. Note A, at the end. † Art. XX. § Art. VI. || Art. XX. + See With the precaution added to this admission, that "it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing contrary to God's Word written, or to expound one place of Scripture so that it be repugnant to another,"* we hold the Church's interpretation of Holy Scripture, as it is set forth in our Liturgy, Articles, and Homilies, to be the safest guide of the clergy to the catholic doctrine of the Bible, and the best protection of the laity from the errors of private judgment. Lest, however, the selection of a text involving the most vital question in religious controversy should seem to be out of place, it shall be my care I. In the first instance, to produce strong reasons for a departure from the modern practice, and the resumption of the more ancient custom of addressing the congregation, on such occasions as the present, on some one or more of the controversies which were wont to agitate, and which still agitate Society and the Church. II. I shall in the next place, according to the grace given unto me, endeavour to make all men see what is our fellowship in the Lord's Supper, declaring the broad distinction between this mystery of our Holy Religion as a Sacrament, and the error grafted thereupon; and III. Then, as Joshua did of old,† I will put it to you to choose whether you will return to the corruptions of the Truth, which enslaved our fathers prior to the Reformation; or whether, rejoicing in the liberty with which Christ has made us free in the Church of England, you will continue to render unto Almighty God, through Jesus Christ, your devout and reasonable service, according to her pure Form of worship. I. My strong reasons, then, are first to be produced for the discussion, on the present occasion, of the vital ques * Art. XX. + Joshua xxiv. 15. |