the words of another luminary of the church in Ireland, the great Archbishop Usher, and which are applicable to the present time: SCHISM, says he, a thing deeply to be thought of by the Ismaels of our time, who forsake the fellowship of the saints, and by a sacrilegious separation break this bond of peace. Little do these men consider, how precious the peace of the church ought to be in our eyes (to be redeemed with a thousand of our lives,) and of what dangerous consequence this matter of SCHISM is unto their own souls.For howsoever the SCHISMATIC, secundum affectum (as the schoolmen speak) in his intention and wicked purposes, taketh away unity from the church; yet secundum effectum, in truth and in very deed, he taketh away the unity only from himself; that is, he cutteth himself off from being united with the rest of the body; and being dissevered from the body, how is it possible that he should retain communion with the head? Sermon on the Universality of the Church. See also the Homily against Contention.

Such are the deplorable consequences of rejecting or being in a separation from Orthodox Episcopal Communion, and which ought to be carefully attended to by the Presbyterians, Methodists, &c. of the present day. With their bible in their hands, and prejudice laid aside, let the subject be brought to a fair and impartial hearing. With this view the bible is put into their hands; and they are required, after the example of the noble

Bereans, to search and examine, whether what has been said on the subject of the church be agreeable to the tenor of the apostolic writings. For this is the standard to which all opinions upon the subject must ultimately be referred.

It has been, I must confess, a considerable injury to the cause of Episcopacy, that its defenders have not paid, in general, sufficient attention to the scripture proofs of its divine institution, but have relied too much on the testimony of the Fathers, and other human authorities. Such has been the general outcry of Presbyterians, &c. against Episcopalians, and often with too much foundation. "Advocates of proper Episcopacy (says a late Presbyterian writer) do rest its claim to a divine right principally, if not solely, on the writings of the Fathers, virtually admit'ting that the scriptures are not so clear and decisive on the subject, but wise and good men may disagree in their interpretation of them."

Another considerable objection to the general prevalence of Episcopacy, has arisen from that absurd idea, entertained by its adversaries ever since the Reformation, that it is unfavourable to civil liberty, and that it can only subsist under an absolute monarchy.

Thus, the last mentioned writer lays it to the charge of Episcopacy, that she contends that Presbytery is too democratical in its constitution to have any pretensions to a divine origin. It seems, indeed, to be one of that church's theological axioms, that no form of government, civil

or ecclesiastical, is of God, but absolute monarchy alone. Doubtless there have been Episcopalians who have maintained such opinions, but then the blame ought in reason to be laid to their charge, and not to that of Episcopacy. Christ did not institute any particular form of government, nor require his apostles and their followers to establish a monarchy wherever they established a church, but merely to live in rational obedience to the "powers that are, whether monarchical or republican. In short, Episcopacy is perfectly compatible with an universal religion. For "an Episcopal Church may or may not be incorporated with the state; and Episcopacy has in fact adapted itself to all the forms of civil government that have existed in the world since the commencement of the christian æra." British Critic, 1812. P. 475.

The cause of Episcopacy has likewise suffered much from not "attending to what is original and apostolic in its constitution, and distinguishing what is accidental from what is essential.” A learned Bishop found it necessary to request the attention of all parties to this necessary caution, at a time when the cause of Episcopacy had sunk very low indeed. For, says he, he that takes things in gross (as most do) without examination, and looks upon Bishops as persons dignified with titles of honour, possest with lands and revenues, having under them (as the late Covenant set them out attended) Deans, Archdeacons, Chancellors, Commissaries, &c. for the

exercise of jurisdiction, will peradventure think there can be nothing apostolical in Episcopacy. (Episcopacy and Presbytery considered, by H. Ferne, D.D. Lond. 1647.) See Note, p. 135 of this Treatise.

Such is the nature of the scriptural Episcopacy for which I contend; and again I entreat our adversaries not to be too wise in their own conceits, but to "search the scriptures whether these things be so," and not to give up their reason so entirely to their own guides as if they conceived them to be infallible. And, to use the words of Mr Dodwell, for God's sake, for your soul's sake, for the church's sake, I beg of you that would not reject these things for my sake, because the proponent is contemptible. The question is not, whether you should be of my opinion, but whether you should not beware of being guilty of the sin of schism, and being accessary to those divisions which you do so seriously deplore *? Our Saviour did not deny the scripture when quoted by the Devil,-and I hope you

you

*The evil consequences arising from divisions are acknowledged by all parties. "They are among the chief obstacles to the progress of the gospel. Scoffers triumph in our divisions, and the world in general is stumbled. Answer to Ewing, by A. Carson (an independent teacher,) Edinb. 1809. Pref. "I am persuaded (says Bishop Stillingfleet,) that all the arguments in Bellarmin, and other books that ever were written, have not done so much to make Papists in this country, as the multitude of sects among ourselves." Unreasonableness of Separation, Pref.

Since the Papists thus derive such benefits from the divisions among Protestants, we may conclude, that they do all in their

will not disown the truth from a christian, though weak and unworthy to be called so. St Augustine never got more honour by any thing than by his Retractations. And I know I need not that no victory is more glorious than to be overcome by truth.

tell

you

With respect to the great body of Protestants who are members of the Episcopal Communion, it must be mentioned with pleasure, that a large majority of them are pious and stedfast adherers to the Church, cautiously avoiding even the appearance of that evil SCHISM, against which they are taught to pray; and that both among the clergy and laity, there are many now alive who have been highly instrumental in guarding their brethren against false principles, and have considerably promoted the cause of genuine christianity, and the credit of our Reformed Church. But still it cannot be denied, that too many of her members appear to be totally unacquainted with the necessity and advantages of church communion. And even in the Episcopal Church in

power to increase them, and prevent their uniting in the same communion. Thus, they have sent their emissaries amongst us, under the garb of puritans, to preach against the church and the common prayer; and it is a positive fact, the Quakers owe their origin to those abominable arts of the Papists. See The Missionaries' Arts Discovered, 1688, and Foxes and Firebrands. Hubert Languet, Ambassador of the Elector of Saxony at Vienna, wrote from thence in 1574, that "the Pope dreaded nothing more than our UNION, which he declared would be the cause of his destruction, if it took place." Episc. Commenius, De Bono Unitatis et Ordinis, Amst. 1662. p. 54. dedicated to Charles II.