length the regularly authorized Ministers, viz. the Bishops, and their Presbyters and Deacons, having obtained the sanction and assistance of the civil authorities in England, restored the Church to her primitive purity. They protested against the errors which had crept in; and, as the Pope of Rome would not go hand in hand with them in this good work, they protested against his authority. Hence the Church, when thus reformed from error, got the name of the Protestant Church. It is called Episcopal, because it is still under Episcopal government, such as was instituted by Christ, and established by His Apostles. The Protestant Bishops, in the accomplishment of their purpose, took the word of God as their only rule, and investigated the practices of the purest ages as their only example; and so rejected every doctrine and practice not well authorized, but retained every thing which could claim the sanction of our Lord and His Apostles. Hence, the Protestant Episcopal Church, by returning to primitive purity, is truly Apostolical in all her doctrines and practices, and, as far as any portion of the Christian Church reveres the marks of the true Apostolic and Catholic Church, so far does the Protestant Episcopal Church agree with it, and no farther. d The Church of England and Ireland, at home and in the colonies, the Episcopal Church 'in Scotland and in America, are Q. Does the Protestant Episcopal Church of England and Scotland possess these three marks? A. Yes! In her sixth Article she expressly declares the Holy Scriptures, rightly interpreted, to be her branches of the Holy Catholic Church, reformed from the errors of the middle ages. They all equally maintain the doctrines and practices which in primitive times were considered Catholic verities, and protest against the errors of Popery, and the authority of any foreign Prelate, Potentate, or Power, that would curtail the liberty with which Christ has made them free. In character they are CATHOLIC; in position they are PROTESTANT. The former title is applied positively; the latter negatively. The one denotes what they are; the other intimates what they are not. The former declares that they receive and maintain all Catholic verities; the latter, that they repudiate and drive away all strange doctrines. As Catholic, they revere what was first, both in doctrine and in practice; as Protestant, they reject what is subsequent, from what quarter soever it may come. (Vide note to Dr. Hook's Sermon, "A Call to Union," p. 21-26.) Were the Bishops and Clergy of the Romish Church, to restore the word of God as the only rule of faith, and to administer the Sacraments as originally instituted, and to return to the pure and primitive doctrines and practices of the Apostolic age, that portion of the Church of Christ would be in full communion with the Protestant Episcopal Church; for it maintains the third mark of the Church, viz. a regularly commissioned Ministry. In like manner, were the Presbyterians, Independents, &c. humbly to acknowledge their inability to do any thing in forwarding the great work of human salvation, independent of the Redeemer; and hence, were their Ministers no longer to act on their own authority, but to receive a commission regularly and visibly derived from Christ, through their hands who have succeeded the Apostles as governors under Christ in the Church, they would once more be in full communion with the Protestant Episcopal Church; for, in most cases, they would have no great objection to recognize the other two only rule of faith; and it is obvious to every one of her members, that she constantly reads them in the ears of all her adherents. In like manner, she receives the two sacraments, of Baptism and the Supper of the Lord, as the principal means of grace, generally necessary to salvation. In her offices for the Ordination of Ministers, and by her uniform practice, she proves that she recognizes no commission as the Commission of Christ, which has not descended through an uninterrupted channel, marks of the universal Church of Christ, viz. the Word of God, as the only rule of faith, and the sacraments of Baptism and the Supper of the Lord, as the means whereby spiritual life is "generally" begun and supported in the soul. It is indeed strangepassing strange-that any sincere Christian should refuse to unite in full communion with the Protestant Episcopal Church, whose terms of communion are summed up in these three short sentences: 1. The revealed Word of God, as contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, and in its true and Catholic sense, is the only rule of faith and practice. 2. The Sacraments, clearly recognized in the revealed Word, are those only which are generally necessary to salvation. 3. The Commission of Christ, regularly transmitted through their hands, whom HE authorized to hand it down, is absolutely necessary to enable a poor and fallen mortal to act as an ambassador for Christ. Can there be any thing in this, which one, sincerely disposed to honour God and our Lord Jesus Christ, must refuse to acknowledge? If not, then his separation from the Protestant Episcopal Church, as a branch of the Holy Catholic Church, is without reason, and without cause; and whatever of sin there may be in keeping up needless division in the Church of God, the guilt can scarcely be removed from his door, who knows these things and acts in opposition to them. by means of the highest order in the Christian Priesthood. "For," says she, "it is evident unto all men, diligently reading the Holy Scriptures and ancient authors, that from the Apostles' time, there have been these three orders of Ministers in Christ's Church; Bishops, Priests, and Deacons." Were the Episcopal Church deficient in any of the marks of a true Church, she could neither be pure nor efficient. 1. Without the word of God, her members could not be brought up as children of God, nor prepared for the kingdom of heaven: 2. Without the instituted means of grace, spiritual life could neither be begun nor supported: and, 3. Without an authorized Ministry, there would be no one to act in Christ's stead, and bring men near to God. Q. What, then, is the great and distinguishing characteristic of the Church of Christ? A. UNITY. Her heavenly Master exhorted His followers to be One in spirit and in obedience. He prayed earnestly to His Father, that this might be the distinguishing mark of His followers: and daring must the man be, who would deny that His petition was granted. He indeed told us, that men, calling themselves by His name, would appear, who would break this unity, but of such He bids us e St. John xv. 10, &c. f St. John xvii. 21. beware. But His prayer was heard, His petition was granted; and in all times and in all places, His faithful disciples have maintained the strictest unity in His holy Church". It is to be carefully kept in mind, however, that this unity does not include identity of opinion in regard to minor points of detail; but identity of principle, in regard to all the leading doctrines and institutions of the Gospel. The Apostles and their companions continued with one accord, and glorified God with one mouth. They also laid such strict injunctions on their converts, concerning the preservation of unity in the Church, that none can easily mistake their meaning. Hear with what earnestness St. Paul addresses his converts at Corinth: "I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment." Hear also, in what terms he addresses the disciples at Philippi: "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ; that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel." St. Matt. xxiv. 23, &c. i 1 Cor. i. 10. h Vide Vincentius Lirinensis. |