constancy of the universal protestant church. But with respect to genuine Christianity, that religion "against which the gates of hell (hall not pre"vail (£)," we know that every effort of human guile and human malice is but an additional link in that chain of events by which the enemies of God are unconsciously forwarding his purposes; an additional step in that determined progression, by which, amidst the shock of nations and the convulsion of empires, "the kingdoms of this world shall become ** the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ *, and "He shall reign for ever and ever (/).'*

Throughout the course of this century, and even to the present moment of its awful close, the church of these kingdoms has been blessed with security and peace. Of the other classes and sects of Christians in this country, some, as the methodists, generally profess to remain united to the national establishment; some, as the Anabaptists, dissent from it only in few points of doctrine or discipline: some, as those who without reason ascribe exclusively to themselves the title of Unitarians, recede in most fundamental points to the utmost extreme of separation. Concerning the distinguishing tenets of these and other sects it becomes me to be silent. The number and the subdivisions of the sects in question, and the duty of describing, if at all, with fullness and precision, opinions differing from my own, would necessarily lead to an extent of detail inconsistent with the brevity of my general plan. Those

opinions

(i) Matt. xvi. 1$. (/) Rev. *i. 15.

opinions may easily be learned from the discourses or the writings of the individuals who hold them. Yet I would not willingly dismiss the subject without pressing the importance of warm and habitual regard to two momentous and most consistent branches of Christian duty: the obligation, on the one hand, of " earnestly contending for the faith, which was «* once delivered to the saints (tw) J" and on the other of " putting on charity, which is the bond "of perfectness («)," and of habitually evincing the spirit of the apostolic prayer; ** grace be with ** all those," all of very description, ** who love ** our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity (0).

(m) Jude, 3. ' (») Coloss. iii. 14,

£9) Ephesians, vi. 34,

CHAPTER XII.

ON FORMS OF CHURCH-GOVERNMENT AND ECCLESIASTICAL ESTABLISHMENTS.

IT is an apostolical direction, that a Christian should always be prepared to give "a reason of the "hope that is in him." The ground of the injunction extends to all institutions closely connected with his faith. My present purpose, therefore, is to assist the judgment of the younger part of my readers, by endeavouring briefly to satisfy them, that reasons, substantial reasons, may be advanced in support of the ecclesiastical institutions of their own country.

In every community or body of men, civil or ecclesiastical, some species of government is requisite for the good of the whole. Otherwise, all is irregularity, confusion, and interminable contention. How then, in any particular country, is the Christian church to be governed ?- "Every separate "congregation," answers the independent, " is a "sovereign church; amenable to no extrinsic juris** diction, and entitled to no jurisdiction over other "churches."—" That mode of government," replies the presbyterian, " is calculated to destroy "unity, co-operation, and concord among Christi"ans. All congregations within the fame state, "which agree in doctrine, ought to be under the

"general

"general superintendance of a representative as•* sembly, composed of their ministers and dele"gates."—" Such a representative assembly," returns the episcopalian, "wants vigour and dispatch; "and is perpetually open to tumult, partiality, and "faction. Divide the country into dioceses; and "station a bishop in each, armed with sufficient "authority, and restrained by adequate laws from "abusing it. Such was the apostolical government "of the church: such," perhaps he adds, " was "the government enjoined on succeeding ages."— "Away!" cries the papist, "with these treason"able discussions. The Pope, the successor of St. '" Peter, is, by divine right, the only source of ecfl clefiastical power; the universal monarch of the f universal church."

Writing as I am, to protestants, I may pass by the claim of the successor of St. Peter. But the concluding words of the episcopalian are of prime importance. If Christ, or his apostles, enjoined the uniform adoption of episcopacy; the question is decided. Did Christ then or his disciples deliver or indirectly conyey such an injunction? This topic has been greatly controverted. The fact appears to be this: that our Saviour did not pronounce upon the subject; that the apostles uniformly established a bishop in every district, as soon as the church in that district became numerous; and thus clearly evinced their judgment as to the form of ecclesiastical government most advantageous, at least in those days, to Christianity: but that they left no command, which rendered episcopacy universally ^dispensable pensable in future times, if other forms should evidently promise, through local opinions and circumstances, greater benefit to religion. Such is the general sentiment of the present church of England

on the subject (a\

That

(«) I have pleasure in quoting on this point the words of two eminent prelates and defenders of the church of England, one at the beginning, the other at the end, of the present century. "Ecclesias Rcformatas, etsi in aliquibus a nostra Anglicana dis"sentientes, libenter amplector. Optarem equidem regimen •• episcopale bene temperatum, et ab omni injusta dominationc *• sejunctum, quale apud nos obtinet, (et si quid ego in his re*« bus fapiam, ab ipso aposlolorum ævo in ecclesia receptum "fuerit,} et ab iis omnibus fuisset retentum: nee despero quin "aliquando restitutum, si non ipse vidcam, at posteri videbunt. "Interim absit ut ego tarn ferrei pectoris sim, ut ob ejssmodi "desectum (sic mihi absque omni invidia appellare liceat) ali'• quas earum a communione nostra abscindendas credam; ant, "cum quibusdam furiosis inter nos scriptoribus, eas nulla vera ac "valida sacramenta liabere, adeoque vix Cliristianos esse, pronun*• tiem." Letter from Wake, arch-bishop of Canterbury, to Mr. Le Clerc, published in the appendix to Machine's Translation of Mosheim, 8vo. vol. vi. p. 124. «• We may safely chal•• lenge the enemies of episcopacy to produce evidence of the "existence of a single antient independent church, which was "not governed by a bishop: I mean, after it was fairly esta"blilhed.—But though 1 flatter myself that I have proved <i episiopacy to be an apostolical institution; yet I readily ac•• knowledge, that there is no precept in the New Testaments •• which commands that every church should be governed by •• bishops. No church can exist without some government. "But though there must be rules and orders for the proper dis•« charge of the osfices of public worship: though there must be "fixed regulations concerning the appointment of ministers; "and though a subordination among them is expedient in the

"highest